Charmed & Dangerous
by JewWitch
Summary: AUSlash. What if Prue never died, and Paige was not a long lost sister- just a cute girl Phoebe meets at college?
1. Default Chapter

Charmed and Dangerous 

**Summary**: In this story Prue never died, and Paige is not a long-lost sister—just a cute girl that Phoebe meets at college. This is a **slash** story, which means girl-on-girl action. If that's not your thing, then feel free not to read it. Part 1 will be PG, but that won't last long if Phoebe and Paige have anything to say about it…parts 2 and on will be R.

Phoebe came downstairs humming to herself, her long, sleek brown hair tied back in neat ponytail and her face clean and fresh but for a hint of tinted lip gloss. Backpack slung over one shoulder, she entered the kitchen where Piper was putting fresh cinnamon rolls on the table and Prue was reading the paper and stirring her coffee absently.

"Ohhhh, Piper, you are the best big sister a girl ever had," Phoebe moaned happily as she reached for one of the sticky treats.

"I'm sitting right here, Pheebs," Prue said dryly, still not looking up from her paper.

"Yes, and when you learn to bake cinnamon buns from scratch, I'll be here to worship you just as much," Phoebe said sweetly, leaning down to give her oldest sister a gooey kiss on the cheek.

"Phoebe!" Prue squealed as she jumped involuntarily at the odd tactile sensation. "That was gross! What on earth has gotten into you this morning?" Prue was glaring at her little sister, who continued to grin unrepentantly as Prue took a napkin and wiped her cheek. Piper, who had remained silent throughout the sisterly exchange, was now studying Phoebe with a knowing look.

"Ooooh, I know exactly what's gotten into her," Piper said gleefully. "You met someone, didn't you? I know this Phoebe, this is happy I-have-a-new-boy Phoebe. I knew you would forget about dumb ol' demony Cole and find a honey who deserved you!"

"I haven't met a boy, Piper," Phoebe said with a roll of her eyes.

"No no no, miss Phoebe Penelope Halliwell, you cannot lie to your sister and get away with it. I've known you way too long, and I have the sister radar. So spill."

"Piper, I swear." Phoebe abandoned her breakfast, looking desperately from one sister to the other as their eyes narrowed, just as they did when Phoebe tried to keep anything secret from them as a child. "Do not give me the big sister eyes! On Mom's grave, I swear to you there is no new guy in my life!"

"Whoa." Prue sat back slightly in her chair as if she'd been slapped. "Okay, Pheebs. No need to get so defensive, all right? Piper didn't mean to attack you. We're just interested in your life, that's all. You are our one and only baby sister, and we love you. Remember?" Prue cocked her head slightly as she said this, studying the now agitated face of the youngest Halliwell.

"I remember," Phoebe sighed. "I'm sorry guys. I didn't mean to jump down your throat, Piper."

"It's okay, sweetie," Piper said genuinely. "I shouldn't have been so presumptuous." Phoebe smiled weakly, as a wave of guilt washed over her. But she hadn't lied. Technically. And really there was nothing to tell…not yet. Her grin blossoming into a genuine, hundred-watt Halliwell smile, she glanced at the clock.

"Oh! I'm late for class." Hitching her backpack up on her shoulder, Phoebe hurriedly kissed both sisters on the cheek before bolting out the door. "Have a good day everybody!" She called over her shoulder as she scurried out. Prue and Piper looked at each other significantly as the front door slammed, both with one eyebrow raised in the trademark what-is-our-little-sister-up-to look.

"She forgot her cinnamon roll," Prue said unnecessarily.

"Mmmm," Piper agreed. "And I just can't help but wonder what…or WHO…is waiting for her at school that could be sweeter?"

Meanwhile, Phoebe was gazing out the window the of the MUNI with a faraway look in her big brown eyes. The familiar sights of the city passed her by unnoticed as the bus took her closer to her destination, the campus of SFU and in particular another pair of big brown eyes that she couldn't get out of her mind. Butterflies fluttered gently around her stomach as she remembered the smile that went with those eyes, so very playful and mischievous. As she played over in her mind the moment when that smile had first been directed at her, the butterflies kicked into overdrive. As the inner sunset rolled by outside and Phoebe's stop approached, the pleasant hum in her tummy began to twist into a painful knot. She wasn't used to feeling so uncertain about her attractions; the boys had found her much too early for that. She swallowed the insecurity rising up in her throat as she tried to assure herself again that the object of her affection had more than friendly feelings for her, too; that it wasn't all her in her head.

Today, she firmly told herself, I am going to ask Paige Matthews out.


	2. Getting Up the Guts

**Charmed and Dangerous**—Part 2

**Summary**: In this story Prue never died, and Paige is not a long-lost sister—just a cute girl that Phoebe meets at college.

**Rating**: R

Sitting in her Intro to Psychology class, Phoebe couldn't help glancing again at the clock, pursing her lips in dismay to see that only three minutes had passed since the last time she looked. She suppressed a growl of irritation; Paige was sitting right next to her, as usual, and Phoebe didn't want her to think that anything was wrong.

"You okay, Pheebs?" Paige whispered in an undertone. "You seem kinda jumpy."

Phoebe groaned, wondering for the second time today just how transparent she was. "Just had a little too much coffee this morning," she whispered back, not wanting to be reprimanded for talking in class. She flashed Paige what she hoped was a reassuring smile, and Paige smiled back. The warmth in her dark eyes and the dimple in her cheek were enough to send a bolt of electricity straight through Phoebe's stomach, settling insistently between her legs. The glance between them lasted perhaps longer than it needed to; Phoebe couldn't help it, she always got a little bit lost whenever she had Paige's attention directed at her. It had started out so innocently, a friendship born of like minds and academic striving. On the very first day, in that huge lecture hall filled with overeager freshmen, it had been Paige who first opened her mouth and challenged the professor. She didn't even raise her hand, she just interrupted him and told him she disagreed with him. It had sparked a good-natured debate that most of the class had eventually joined, and as the lecture came to a close, the teacher had said that he was glad to see that this year's students weren't note-taking zombies. Phoebe had liked Paige right away for her boldness, her zest and independence. Had liked her so much that she had gone right up to her as they filed out of the hall and told her so. They'd walked out into the bright San Francisco sun together, discovering that they both had a half hour break before their next class, and decided to go for coffee in the student lounge to pass the time. From then on, it had become a regular occurrence. They talked about anything and everything, from Phoebe's family to Paige's wild past and how she had turned her life around when her mother died. They talked about school, they challenged each other's ideas, they giggled over stories of how Phoebe had terrorized her sisters as a child. And then, inexplicably, Phoebe had realized that she wanted more. It had freaked her out at first, having never felt an attraction to a girl before; but every time Paige laid a friendly hand on her bare arm or their knees touched turning lecture, Phoebe felt her body crying for more. And as much as she'd wanted to dismiss it as a crush, she knew better. Her feelings weren't simple lust. She thought about Paige constantly, daydreamed about the smell of her hair; she even found herself waxing poetic about the girl's beautiful handwriting. There was no doubt about it, Phoebe wanted Paige bad. And sometimes—when she said something silly to make Paige laugh, or when they were saying goodbye—she thought she saw something more in Paige's eyes, too.

But there was only one way to be sure, and as the bell rang and snapped Phoebe out of her reverie, she realized that the time to act had come.

"Well Phoebe," Paige said as they gathered their books, "I think we'd better skip the coffee thing today."

"Huh?" Phoebe looked up despondently, her stomach dropping like a tiny skydiver.

"I think you've had more than enough already, twitchy. I'm eighty-sixin' you for your own good."

"Oh," Phoebe sighed, her stomach leaping back up and into her throat, making her slightly queasy despite her relief.

"So how 'bout we take a walk to Jamba Juice instead? It's such a pretty day, and we can get you a nice relaxing mango smoothie. Sound good?"

"Yeah," Phoebe smiled, "that sounds great. And it is a nice day," she remarked as they stepped out onto the grass. "I know I'm enjoying the view." Phoebe's stomach pulled another kamikaze as Paige looked at her in mild surprise. Oh my God I did not just say that! But Paige either didn't think anything of it, or chose to ignore it, as they strolled leisurely across the campus. Pale spring sunlight warmed Phoebe's back and shoulders as she walked, trying not to stare at Paige too obviously. But, Goddess, she was so beautiful. Phoebe couldn't help ogling her a little, with her porcelain skin, long legs, and cherry lips. And her hair, like polished mahogany that tumbled down her back, catching the light and seeming to soak it in. Swallowing her nervousness one final time, Phoebe cleared her throat.

"So, Paige…I was wondering…" Phoebe faltered, and Paige cocked her head in a "go on" sort of way. "Would you…maybe…wanna do something some time? With me?" Paige stopped walking and Phoebe cringed. Oh God, I am the queen of lameness. Real smooth, Pheebs, oh fuck…

But Paige was still studying her with an inscrutable expression. "Phoebe Halliwell, are you asking me out on a date?"

"I…um…I…" Lost in her own world of panic, Phoebe looked anywhere but at Paige, until she felt a soft caress of fingers against her cheek. Looking up, brown eyes locked together for a long moment. Then Paige leaned down and kissed Phoebe with incredible gentleness, her lips whisper soft, her sweet breath invading Phoebe's mouth.

"Ohhh…" Phoebe sighed, having been rendered incapable of speech.

"I thought you'd never ask," Paige grinned. Phoebe grinned back stupidly, as all her pent up nerves left her body in a rush, leaving her weak-kneed and slightly dazed. Paige continued to study her, then raised one eyebrow mischievously.

"That's the first time you've ever asked a girl out, isn't it?" She asked.

"Well…yeah," Phoebe admitted bashfully, then returned the sly smile. "Technically, it's the first time I've ever asked anyone out at all. I don't usually have to do the asking."

"Ooooh, my, but we're cocky, aren't we?" Paige teased, still grinning widely. "So what do you want to do on our first date, oh Princess Phoebe?"

Phoebe swatted Paige playfully on the arm. "What, I gotta think of everything? Why don't you be the boy for a while?"

"Hmmm, okay." And without preamble, Paige grabbed Phoebe by the shoulders and kissed her soundly, right there in the middle of the quad. Phoebe got over her shock quickly, and returned the kiss. Her hand grazed down Paige's back, making lazy circles on the soft skin between her top and the waistband of her jeans. Paige opened her mouth slightly, and Phoebe took the invitation. As their tongues touched, Paige whimpered softly into Phoebe's mouth.

"Oh, yeah, get busy girls!" An enthusiastic male voice rang out across the quad and the two broke apart, grinning at each other in mild embarrassment. Phoebe's hand remained on the small of Paige's back.

"You were saying…?" Paige drawled.

"Hmmm, well I've had a few ideas since our last chat…"

"I'll just bet you have."

"And I know exactly how we're going to spend our first date."

"Care to let me in on it?"

"Nope." Phoebe giggled at Paige's childish pout, even as she admitted to herself that it was sexy as hell. "Don't you try that pout with me, miss Paige. I'm a youngest sister, I practically invented that pout."

"You're really not going to tell me?" Paige asked in a sweet, pitiful voice.

"I just want to surprise you," Phoebe said softly, and immediately Paige's pout dissolved.

"Okay," she whispered back, her voice soft and breathy.

"Just bring a jacket, and wear comfortable shoes, K?" Paige simply nodded, grinning stupidly as Phoebe had been moments before. "I'll pick you up at 7." Glancing down at her watch, Phoebe got another jolt when she realized they were both already five minutes late for their next class.

"Dammit!" She squeaked. "Paige, we're late. You better run or you're never gonna make it to the photo lab before they start developing and you're locked out."

"Aww baby, you've got my schedule memorized?" Though there was a playful glint in her dark eyes, Phoebe could tell that Paige was genuinely touched.

"Yep. I'm your very own certifiable stalker."

"As long as you're mine," Paige murmured, giving her one last luscious kiss on the lips before she turned to go. Stepping in opposite directions, their hands stayed entwined until their arms were stretched to their limits, and then their fingers gently fell from each other's grasp. To Phoebe, San Francisco had never been more beautiful. She walked in a daze to the Science quad, grinning so much her face hurt. But she didn't care. She knew exactly what she was going to do for her first date with Paige (and she spent a few moments glowing over Paige's use of the term "first date"—implying that there would, by definition, be more). And it was going to be perfect. The only snag was, she didn't have a car- and that meant she was going to have to ask one of her sisters to borrow theirs. And this time, she knew she would never be able to withstand the sisterly interrogation as to where she was going and why she needed it. She swallowed hard, as her euphoria twisted into a sharp bundle of nerves. But she could do this, she told herself. Paige was worth it.


	3. First Date

Charmed and Dangerous—part 3

Spoilers for "Charmed Centennial" with regard to Paige and her very special sneezes. Other than that, there's very little overlap with cannon. This section is definitely rated NC-17 

Piper sighed as she walked into the manor; it had been a very long day at the club going through all the books as tax season loomed ahead. She was enormously glad that Leo would be home soon, too, and that they had nothing more pressing to do that evening than relax together with a nice dinner and maybe a bubble bath. Before she had even taken off her coat, a nervously grinning Phoebe was upon her. With her hair in braids, and wearing her favorite old "UC Santa Cruz Banana Slugs" sweatshirt, Piper couldn't help thinking how adorable her little sister was, still her baby, just like always.

"Hi Piper," Phoebe said in a slightly squeaky voice.

"Hi Pheebs," Piper said. When Phoebe said nothing, but continued to stare at her with a blank, deer-in-the-headlights expression, she added, "Was there something you wanted, honey?"

"Um, actually, yes." Phoebe grinned, the color rising in her cheeks. This did not go unnoticed by Piper. "I was just wondering if I could maybe borrow your car tonight. That is, if you and Leo aren't going anywhere."

"Sure Pheebs, no problem."

"Good, um, thanks." Piper smiled at her baby sister inscrutably. Phoebe looked back at her apprehensively.

"What?"

"Oh, Phoebe. Would you knock it off already? It is completely obvious to me, as someone who has known you your entire life, that you have met someone. Probably someone you want to go out with tonight in my car. Which, again, totally fine. What I don't understand is why you're being so damn elusive about it! Do you not think Prue and I want you to go out on dates and have a good time?" Piper was at a loss, and her irritation was beginning to show.

"Oh Piper…of course I know you want me to be happy. I'm sorry I'm acting like such a spazz…I'm just scared that you might not…approve…of my choice."

"Well honey, lord knows that we Halliwells have always had questionable taste in men…but honestly, you have to know that I would never judge you, Pheebs. Please believe that." And Phoebe did—how could she not, when she was looking into the earnest hazel eyes of her lifetime confidante?

"I believe you, Piper," Phoebe said. Then she drew a deep breath. "But actually…it's not my taste in MEN that's at issue this time." Piper's face was a mask of confusion for a moment.

"You mean…? OH!" Her eyes widened, and Phoebe nodded. "Oh Phoebe, did you really think I'd care if you wanted to date girls?" Piper giggled.

Phoebe was flabbergasted. "I dunno…I just thought…I mean I didn't think…aren't you just a little shocked?" She almost sounded hurt that she hadn't managed to scandalize her big sister.

"You're losing your edge, little sis. Not only am I not freaked out by this, but I'll let you in on a little secret." Phoebe raised her eyebrow, asking Piper to go on.

"I'm not exactly 'Miss Straight America' myself." Piper was still grinning impishly.

"What?" Phoebe shrieked. "Piper, you're married!"

"Well I didn't say I was joining any orgies, did I? But back in high school, there was this girl…do you remember Jenny?"

"Your friend from the tennis team?"

Piper raised her eyebrow significantly.

"Oh my god, Piper! She was your girlfriend? And you never told me?" Phoebe looked extremely hurt.

"Honey, you were only eleven…and I would hardly call her my girlfriend. We were just fuck buddies, really. What was I supposed to say to you?"

"Aaaagh!" Phoebe shrieked, covering her ears with both hands. "Piper, you and the F word do not go together. Are you trying to scar me for life?" Phoebe's bewilderment was almost comical, and they once it passed, the two sisters stood grinning at each other.

"So what's her name?" Piper asked.

"Paige," Phoebe said almost shyly.

"Huh, another P. Well she'll fit right in around here, I suppose." This got another shy grin from Phoebe. Piper closed the short distance between her younger sister and herself, and took her chin in her hand, tilting her face up to study her. "And she makes you happy?" she questioned gently.

Phoebe swallowed. "Piper, I think I…I think I'm a little bit in love with her." Piper hugged her little sister tight, and Phoebe melted into the reassuring arms of the one person whose approval mattered most. Of course, Phoebe loved both her sisters and cared what both of them thought of her; but it had always been to Piper she had run when Prue didn't understand her, to Piper she had always told everything, and known she would always be accepted. Piper never ceased to amaze her.

"Then I couldn't be happier for you, Phoebe."

"Thanks, Piper." Phoebe swallowed hard against the tears that were suddenly forming. "I love you."

"Love you too, squirt. Now you better go get ready, cause I don't think this outfit is what you'll be wearing for Paige now is it?" Phoebe grinned and bounded up the stairs, humming dreamily to herself. Piper sighed. Phoebe was definitely growing up…but she would always be her baby.

Two hours later, Phoebe was dressed and had a large picnic basket packed into her sister's car, along with two large fluffy blankets. The nerves that had left her so suddenly with Paige's kiss had redoubled, leaving her feeling very distracted indeed as she pulled up to Paige's dorm and rang the buzzer. When the door opened and Paige stood in front of her, however, she forgot all about her nervousness—she forgot about everything. Paige was so lovely, standing there in a simple pair of soft camel-colored cords and a light blue cardigan, a thin choker of rose quartz at her throat. Her makeup was light, accentuating her dark eyes, and like Phoebe she needed only a hint of cherry lip gloss on her luscious mouth.

"Hi," Paige said softly.

"Yeah," Phoebe agreed dazedly. Paige smirked at the openly smitten expression on Phoebe's face, which in turn helped Phoebe to break out of the momentary trance she had gone into. "Ready to go?" She asked, and Paige nodded. As she stepped over the threshold, she brought one hand out from behind her back. It held a single, ivory colored rose.

"For me?" Phoebe asked shyly, not understanding why the simple act was affecting her so. She had received plenty of flowers from boys before, large, expensive bouquets even. But somehow, coming from Paige it felt different.

"Mmm-hmm." Paige nodded, leaning in and giving Phoebe another whisper-soft kiss on the lips.

"What for?" Phoebe asked, still in a daze, as Paige pulled back from the kiss.

"Cause I like you," Paige murmured, her arms still wrapped around Phoebe's neck, their faces very close. "Cause you were brave enough to ask me out before I got up the guts to ask you…because you are so…" Paige kissed her. "Incredibly…" another kiss. "Beautiful." By now Phoebe felt sure that she could light up the entire city with the heat coming off her face, but she didn't care.

"You sure know what to say to a girl," Phoebe sighed. Taking Paige's hand in hers, she said, "Shall we?"

"Indeed we shall," Paige agreed, and together they walked to the car.

Twenty minutes later, they were leaving the city on highway 1, heading south. "You gonna tell me where we're going now?" Paige asked curiously. Her hand was playing in Phoebe's hair, which hung in soft curls around her shoulders.

"I'm sure you'll figure it out on your own, miss smartypants."

"Smartypants?" Paige said indignantly. "Who was the one who got asked to lead a discussion section last week after her A-plus paper on mythological demons and the archetypal psyche?" Phoebe grinned, taking her eyes off the road for a moment to look back at Paige, who was smiling at her in a way that could only be described as proud.

"I guess there's room in this car for more than one smartypants."

"Guess so," Paige agreed. Then she looked out at the open road ahead, as the urban sea of housing developments gave way to endless rolling hills on the left, and the beautiful, jagged cliffs of the pacific ocean on the right. The sun was getting low, and the sparkle off the water made the ocean look like a living thing itself, winking and shimmering at them. It made Paige smile.

"This is so beautiful," she sighed.

"Almost as beautiful as you," Phoebe said shyly.

"Oh, honey, you are so corny…and so sweet." She leaned over and gave Phoebe a quick kiss on the cheek.

After another twenty minutes had gone by, Phoebe finally pulled off the small two-lane highway into a dirt parking lot. The only thing Paige could see anywhere nearby was a taco stand, which she stared at quizzically.

"Pheebs…you didn't drive me all the way down to Bonny Doon to go to a taqueria, did you? Cause we've got plenty of those in San Francisco."

"No silly." Phoebe grinned, and hopped out of the car mysteriously. As Paige got out and came around to the other side of the car, Phoebe handed her the two blankets from the back, which Paige had not even noticed. "You get these, and I'll carry the picnic basket, okay?" Dazed and confused, Paige nodded. With an air of calm assurance, Phoebe crossed the road toward the ocean, Paige following wordlessly. It was clear that Phoebe was following a path she knew well, as they climbed down a narrow dirt path that took them down the embankment, over the railroad tracks, and up another embankment. Of course, by now, Paige knew there was only one possible destination: the ocean. They walked silently for a few minutes, neither feeling the need to speak. Finally, as if by magic, they topped the rocks they'd been hopping over and saw one of the most beautiful sights they had even seen. A secluded beach, quite deserted, sprawled out before them, the cliffs stretching out on either side blocking out the view of the rest of the world. No one driving on the highway would be able to see this beach, and Paige realized right away that this was a special place for Phoebe. Looking out at a glorious California sunset, the sun blood red and sinking halfway into the ocean, Paige's heart nearly stopped.

"Oh, Phoebe," she whispered. "It's…" She dropped the blankets in the sand, and wrapped both arms around Phoebe, spooning her from behind so they could watch it together. "It's beautiful." Phoebe didn't say anything, but reached behind her to tangle her fingers in Paige's hair, softly caressing the silky strands. They stood like that for a few minutes. Then Phoebe could feel Paige's tummy rumbling against her back.

"Hungry, baby?" She grinned, dropping her head back against Paige's shoulder to look at her.

"Actually, yeah," Paige admitted. "Whatcha got in that basket, anyway?" Phoebe grinned and wiggled her eyebrows. Laughing, they picked up their supplies and walked down onto the beach itself, Paige spreading one of the blankets and Phoebe unpacking the basket. Soon there were grapes and brie, a sourdough baguette, some baby carrots and hummus, and a bottle of sparkling apple cider all laid out in front of them, complete with a large bar of Ghiradelli chocolate for dessert.

"You really are a native San Franciscan, aren't you?" Paige asked, eyeing Phoebe's selections, particularly the chocolate.

"Born and raised," Phoebe agreed. "You grew up in Ortega, right?"

"Yeah, the glamorous life. When we all snuck out to be wild, rebellious teenagers, all we could really do was get drunk and screw on the golf course."

"Paige!" Phoebe squealed.

"Oh, I'm sorry, did I embarrass you, Princess?" Paige grinned impishly. "You can't fool me, Phoebe Halliwell. I've got your number. I know you were a troublemaker in high school. And as for the sex part, I'm sure they were lined up around the block for you." Phoebe rubbed the blush from her face as they helped themselves to their picnic dinner.

"Uhhh…can I plead the fifth on this one?" Paige cocked her eyebrow at the evasive Phoebe. "Oh, all right, all right. Of course I was a trouble maker. I had to keep Grams busy so she wouldn't have time to miss Prue and Piper when they were off at college, didn't I? And as far as the other part, I had plenty of offers. But I only dated three guys. And I had strong feelings for each of them." At least, she thought to herself, I used to think that those were strong feelings… Looking at Paige now, she knew she had only begun to understand the words, "strong feelings."

"And you're not weirded out about the whole, girl-girl thing?" Paige asked seriously. She was absolutely crazy about Phoebe, but she wasn't stupid, and dating straight girls never brought anything but trouble. Looking up at her, Phoebe knew that this was a serious question for Paige, and gave the beautiful girl sitting next to her her full attention.

"It did at first, I guess. But that was a while ago…" they grinned at each other over this admission. "Honestly, Paige, when I look at you, I'm not thinking of you as a woman, or comparing you to a man. I just…I just see you. And I'm completely and totally crazy about you, if you hadn't noticed." Paige gave Phoebe another one of her warm, glowing smiles, and leaned in to kiss her. It started out very gentle, lips and tongues gently exploring the precious new terrain. Then Phoebe began to nibble on Paige's bottom lip, eliciting a soft, sensual moan. The sound of Paige moaning for her, from her attentions, was like a bolt of desire straight to Phoebe's core. They began to kiss more passionately, the food forgotten, as Paige sucked Phoebe's tongue into her mouth and Phoebe's hands went under Paige's top, teasingly running her fingers over the soft skin of her stomach. The heat that exploded between them was primal, and soon they were both covered in a fine sheen of sweat. An ocean breeze blew over their damp skin, and Paige shivered. Not missing a beat, Phoebe reached over Paige and pulled the second blanket over them both, creating a warm and cozy nest which they burrowed into, lost in a world of only each other.

Uncountable hours later, as they lay entwined exchanging gentle touches, Phoebe dimly realized that Paige was shivering again. In their hedonistic frenzy they had kicked off the blanket that was covering them. Lazily, Phoebe sat up and pulled it back over them, making a warm and cozy nest.

"Hmmm," Paige sighed, "you are so incredible, baby." She leaned forward and gave Phoebe a soft, loving kiss.

"You were pretty incredible yourself," Phoebe murmured back, tracing delicate patterns over Paige's face in the moonlight.

"Really?" Paige asked, a note of cockiness in her voice.

"Oh Goddess, yes." Phoebe sighed again. She couldn't seem to stop.

"Goddess, huh?" Paige inquired, and Phoebe winced internally at the small slip. She was still a witch after all, and that wasn't something she was ready to drop on Paige, not so soon.

"You are my goddess," she whispered, and it was perfectly true. They kissed again, not ready to escalate things again quite yet. They were both enjoying the afterglow too much to rush it, exchanging tender touches and looking up at the stars.

"I could stay here all night," Paige murmured absently.

"Hmmm, that would be nice," Phoebe agreed. "Unfortunately, the tide is going to come in eventually…I think we'd better get out of here before that."

"But I'm not done with you yet," Paige pouted, sticking out her bottom lip. Phoebe leaned forward and nipped it between her teeth, sucking the delicious pout into her mouth.

"Come home with me," she breathed.

"Yes."

Many hours later, Phoebe awoke warm, sated, and held in her bed. Shafts of morning sunlight were peeking through her curtains, but she wasn't ready to move just yet. The feel of Paige pressed up against her back, her arm wrapped snugly around Phoebe's stomach, was too good. Eyes closed, Phoebe simply basked in the sensation, coupled with Paige's steady, even breathing against the back of her neck. How had she ever gotten through life without this woman? Without the feelings they got from each other? It seemed somehow impossible that before yesterday, she'd had no idea how good it was possible to feel. She was basking like a cat in a ray of sunshine when Paige's breath hitched behind her.

_"Achoo!_" Paige sneezed hard, her body jerking against Phoebe's back. It gave Phoebe the oddest sensation of warmth, and a faint, feathery tickle all along her back, and she giggled and squirmed.

"Bless you," she murmured as she rolled over, smoothing Paige's hair back to kiss her forehead. She frowned slightly. "Are you catching a cold, baby? You feel a little warm." She pressed her lips back against Paige's forehead, remembering how Paige had shivered in the chilly ocean air the night before.

Paige pulled herself stiffly out of Phoebe's arms, a tense expression on her face. "Uh, yeah, I think I am…I better go." She practically jumped out of bed, reaching for her clothes as Phoebe grabbed her arm.

"Whoa there nelly! What's with the duck-and-cover?" Paige swallowed hard, trying desperately to ignore the confused look on Phoebe's face.

"I, I just don't want to give you my germs, that's all."

Phoebe laughed. "Paige, honey, we just spent the whole night sharing our germs. If I was gonna catch your cold, I would have already. You don't have to worry about me." She smiled warmly at her lover, touched but confused.

"Still," Paige stammered, "Better safe than sorry, right? And I've got this major photo project due on Monday, I should really get back…"

"Paige!" Phoebe exclaimed indignantly. "It's not even eight am! What is wrong?" As they looked at each other, Paige could tell that Phoebe was getting the wrong idea, that she thought she was running out on her. It broke Paige's heart, but she knew she didn't have a choice.

"Is it…" Phoebe began hesitantly. "Is it me?"

"Oh Phoebe…" Paige's eyes brimmed with tears before she blinked them away. "It's not you baby, please believe me, it's not you. I just have to…" Paige's voice trailed off as her breath caught again. She backed away from Phoebe, rubbing her nose furiously, obviously trying not to sneeze. Phoebe, for her part, was utterly bewildered by Paige's strange behavior.

"Ah…ahh…_ACHOO!_" Paige sneezed again, harder than before.

"Bless—" Phoebe started to say, but before she could finish, something happened that Phoebe was totally unprepared for. Paige dissolved into a haze of tiny, bluish white lights, and orbed out. "You…" she finished to the empty room. She hadn't even had time to be properly shocked yet when Paige orbed back in, hands hovering over her mouth, eyes squeezed firmly shut. Phoebe was utterly speechless. After a moment that seemed like an hour to both of them, Paige reluctantly opened her eyes.

"Uh…" she stammered. "Any chance that you didn't see that?"

"Oh, I saw it," Phoebe confirmed. "I've just never seen a white lighter sneeze before." Paige's jaw dropped.

"What?"

TBC….


	4. Secrets Revealed

Charmed and Dangerous—Part 4

"You're a white lighter," Phoebe whispered. "Oh God…" Paige was still standing in the middle of the room, still as a statue with her clothes bundled in her hand. Phoebe's brain seemed to have momentarily crashed, and then sped into hyperdrive as all the implications hit her. Paige wasn't human. Paige wasn't even alive, technically. Even though she had always known this about Leo and not been upset by it, somehow it seemed very different now. Would Paige be called away to her charges at all hours, without warning, just like Leo? Would they even be allowed to be together? Or would the elders insist that two charmed ones coupled with white lighters was simply unacceptable?

"Paige are you…are they gonna…" Phoebe's voice broke, and a gut-wrenching sob sprang Paige into action, as she rushed back to Phoebe and the bed, cradling her tenderly.

"No, honey, please don't cry…shhh…I'm not a white lighter. I'm a very human girl, who catches colds and skins my knees. Really, it's okay." Paige gently wiped away Phoebe's tears as she spoke, covering her face with gentle kisses.

"But…you orbed!" Phoebe sobbed, wanting to believe Paige, but unable to understand these confusing new events.

"Yeah," Paige agreed. She had no idea how Phoebe knew about orbing, but she realized that they both had secrets that would have to come out; the confusion was causing Phoebe terrible distress, and Paige simply wouldn't allow that.

"My mom was a white lighter," she explained as she continued to soothe Phoebe, running her fingers through soft brown hair. "I got the orbing from her…but that's all, nothing else. My dad was just a regular guy, and Mom couldn't save him when he got sick." Paige swallowed hard, trying not to think too much about the father she had lost so very long ago. "After that it was just me and Mom…she told me what she was then. She had to, there was just too much to go unexplained. I didn't know up till then, didn't even know what I was, cause Mom bound my orbing power to keep me safe from too many questions. She told me that one day, when I was ready and we both agreed, she'd release my power. But then she was killed protecting one of her charges…" Paige trailed off, this pain too fresh to swallow away. Phoebe hugged her, not trying to offer any false words of assurance. She knew how painful it was to lose a mother.

"Anyway," Paige continued, "after she died, my power was released. It was all so sudden, and I had no idea how to control it. Any time I got angry or scared, I was orbing all over the place. I totally freaked out, and ran away from the foster family they'd put me with. This was three years ago," she added.

"So, what happened?" Phoebe asked tentatively. Paige smiled fondly.

"I was hitchhiking to LA, and this guy picked me up in his truck. Then he grabbed my hand and orbed me," she jerked her thumb up, "somewhere safe. He said he was my new white lighter, and he'd teach me how to control my power. He calmed me down a lot, and got me to agree I'd go back to my foster parents. And he did teach me," She finished. "I've got it all under control now…except for the, uh, sneezing thing, which you are the only person to have ever seen." She grinned shyly. Phoebe smiled back. It really was cute, she thought mischievously. "I'm still working on that, but it seems kinda hopeless. It's completely involuntary, you know? Just like a regular sneeze is. And Leo says that since I'm the only human to ever have been known to orb, there's no way to know if…" Paige trailed off as she noticed Phoebe's eyes bug out.

"Leo?" Phoebe gasped.

"My white lighter," Paige clarified.

"Paige, Leo is my white lighter, too…not to mention, Piper's husband."

"Huh? And…huh?" Now it was Paige who stared at Phoebe in disbelief.

"My sisters and I are witches."

"Not just any old witch gets a white lighter," Paige pointed out hesitantly.

"Yeah…well, my sisters and I, we're not just any old witches," Phoebe said with a small grin. "We're the Charmed Ones."

"Holy shit," Paige gasped. "You…you're…wow." A dreamy expression of disbelief came over Paige's face. "My girlfriend is a charmed one!"

"I'm your girlfriend?" Phoebe squeaked, her toes wiggling happily under the blanket. Snapped out of her reverie, Paige looked up in an expression of horror, a deep blush rising in her cheeks as she backpedaled furiously.

"Oh, I didn't mean—I shouldn't have—I mean if you want—" Phoebe silenced her with a deep, smoldering kiss.

"Paige," she breathed when they broke apart, "I've, um, never moved this fast before. I'm not exactly a put-out-on-the-first-date kind of girl. But what's happening between us, it's not about putting out. I've never moved this fast before…because I've never felt this way about anyone before."

"Me neither," Paige agreed softly, still in a slight trance from Phoebe's gentle fingers grazing her face.

"So rest assured, that there is nothing on this earth I want more than to be your girlfriend." Phoebe gave Paige a glowing smile. "Do you want to be mine?"

"Yes," Paige breathed, kissing her in a way that was almost worshipful.

"Good," Phoebe sighed as they broke apart. "Glad we got that taken care of." Paige giggled, then her eyes slid out of focus.

"_Achoo!_" Paige sneezed, once again giving Phoebe the most delightful sensations everywhere they touched as she orbed quickly out and back in again.

"Oh, honey," Phoebe kissed her forehead, smiling gently. "I almost forgot, with everything and all, that my baby doesn't feel good." She gently laid her hand against Paige's face; it was definitely warm. "I'm gonna make you some nice hot raspberry-ginger tea, okay? It'll make you feel better." Paige nodded, smiling shyly. She wasn't used to having anyone dote over her like this.

"Although…" Phoebe added mischievously, "it does feel really good when you do that."

"Do what?"

"Orb out against me."

"Really?" Phoebe nodded, and Paige returned her evil grin. "You mean, like this?" And Paige began to dissolve back into the hazy blue light that tickled Phoebe's senses so. But she didn't orb out completely; she managed to hover somehow, to hold herself in limbo for several seconds before orbing back in.

"Ohhh," Phoebe moaned, squirming under her very satisfied looking girlfriend. "That feels so good, Paige."

"Well, I showed you mine…" Paige trailed off, looking at Phoebe significantly. Phoebe knew exactly what she wanted, and spared a momentary thanks to the guys upstairs for giving her something to show off besides her premonitions. Kissing Paige lightly on the mouth, she wrapped her arms firmly around her girlfriend, and twined their legs together. Then she levitated them both three feet off the bed.

"Whoa!" Paige squealed. "Holy shit, Phoebe. That is so cool!" Phoebe giggled, feeling rather proud of herself, and they began to kiss in midair, moving against each other in a weightless sort of way.

"Mmmmm," Paige sighed, "how long can you do this, Pheebs?"

"As long as you want," Phoebe murmured. They kissed passionately. And then the door flew open.

"Pheebs, sorry to wake you, but I need my car ke—" Piper's entrance startled Phoebe so badly that she fell, along with Paige, landing on the bed with an undignified grunt as both girls had the wind knocked out of them. Piper shrieked as her eyes fell upon the scene before her, clapping her hands firmly over her eyes and stumbling backwards in retreat. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Piper cried, tripping over her feet and falling on her butt in her haste. Her hands remained firmly over her eyes. "Uh, Phoebe," she said hesitantly, "Did I just see what I think I just saw? And I am not talking about the naked part."

"Piper, it's okay." Phoebe managed to say when she regained her breath. "You don't have to worry."

"Are you nuts?" Piper screamed. With her hands still covering her eyes, it made for a very comical argument. Paige reached down and pulled the covers back up over herself and Phoebe, sparing them all from further embarrassment.

"Piper, you can open your eyes now," Phoebe said calmly. "And no, I am not nuts." Piper hesitantly removed her hands from her face, relieved to find the scene no longer X-rated.

"Look…Piper," Paige said haltingly. "I have powers too, okay? Trust me, I won't rat out the charmed ones." Piper's eyes bugged out.

"You must be Paige," she said finally. Paige nodded. "Great. Well, that's…that's just…um…nice to meet you." Piper was blushing furiously, utterly confused and discombobulated.

"Look Piper, why don't you go downstairs and let Paige and I get dressed, okay? We'll come down in a minute and explain everything to you and Prue." Piper nodded dumbly. "And make some raspberry-ginger tea," Phoebe added as Piper got up from the floor. As the door closed behind her, both Paige and Phoebe collapsed onto the bed.

"Whoaaaaa…" Paige gave a deflated sigh. Then both girls erupted into a fit of giggles.

Ten minutes later, the two entered the kitchen in pajamas to find Prue and Piper waiting for them. They looked confused and slightly apprehensive, but not openly hostile, and for this, Phoebe was grateful. Seeing the teapot steaming gently on the stove, Phoebe went over and got a cup, adding a generous amount of honey to it before she brought it back to Paige.

"Here baby, drink this." Phoebe offered Paige the cup as she sat in her lap. "It'll help your sniffles."

"Thanks," Paige smiled shyly at Phoebe and kissed her. Piper and Prue looked at each other, confirming what they both knew: Phoebe was going to be absolutely sickening from now on, and they couldn't be happier about it. As long as her new girlfriend didn't turn out to be in any way demonic, of course. And that was the part that made them both look apprehensively at the snuggling young couple.

"Okay," Piper said loudly when Phoebe and Paige still hadn't broken apart, "there's really no nice way to ask this, so I'll apologize in advance for making a horse's ass of myself…but, what the hell are ya and what are you doing floating naked with my baby sister?"

"Piper!" Phoebe exclaimed, feeling more embarrassed than she had when Piper had walked in on them in the first place.

"I'm sorry, Phoebe, but we have to know everything that goes on in this house that is remotely connected to magic! You're mixing work and pleasure here," Piper said insistently, waving her hands around the way she always did when she was anxious.

"Right, Piper, you're one to talk," Phoebe growled.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Piper asked.

"It means, you're married to your white lighter, just like my dad was," Paige said quietly.

"You're a white lighter?" Prue gasped.

"Half," Paige corrected her, rubbing her nose.

"So what does that mean?"

"Well I…I…_ACHOO!_" Paige sneezed, orbing out from under Phoebe in her chair. Phoebe fell to the floor in a heap. Piper stared open mouthed. Prue burst out laughing. Then Paige orbed back, looking down apologetically at Phoebe.

"Sorry, baby," She said sheepishly, helping Phoebe to her feet.

"S'okay," Phoebe groaned, "I guess that's not a very smart place for me to sit till your cold goes away." She rubbed her sore butt.

"Want me to do that for ya?" Paige asked her, her voice about an octave lower than usual as they held each other's gaze.

"Okay, okay, people!" Piper said shrilly, clapping her hands to get their attention. "Let's save the bedroom eyes and focus on the issue here. Can we make sure we've got this all straight?" Across the table, Prue burst out laughing again. Phoebe scowled at her.

"How old are you, twelve? What have you done with my big sister?"

"Sorry," Prue gasped through her laughter, rendering her apology rather ineffective.

"O-kay," Piper broke in again. "Just to be clear." She looked at Paige. "You are half white lighter."

"Yup."

"And you can orb."

"Yup."

"Can you heal?"

"No, not that," Paige shook her head emphatically. "The only special thing about me is the orbing."

"There's lots more special things about you, baby," Phoebe drawled, winding her fingers into Paige's sleek hair and kissing her.

"Oh, for crying out loud, get a room!" Prue groaned, making shooing motions with her hands.

"I HAVE a room," Phoebe said pointedly, "but it seems like SOME people in this house may have forgotten how to knock." Piper blushed and put her hand over her eyes.

"Okay, okay, get outta here," Piper said with a wave of her hands. Phoebe and Paige gave each other another smoldering look, and quickly jumped up, still holding hands. Phoebe grabbed the tea off the table, giggling as Paige pulled her out of the kitchen.

After they had gone, Prue and Piper looked at each other, shaking their heads.

"Goddess," said Prue, "they are just like you and Leo were when you first fell for each other."

"Did you hear them call each other by name even once?" Piper asked.

"Oh, honey, oh, baby," Prue teased, and both sisters erupted in laughter.

"I guess angels make pretty good partners for Halliwell witches, huh?" Prue mused.

"Maybe we should find one for you," Piper teased.

TBC…


	5. Demon Attack

**Charmed & Dangerous**—Part 5

**Summary**: Rumors spread through the underworld of a new dark power that will rise and vanquish the Charmed Ones…or are they after something else? The next installment of my Phoebe/Paige saga.

**Rating**: R

A thin shaft of light spilled across the Halliwell kitchen as the youngest inhabitant stood in front of the refrigerator, squinting through the glare until she found a container of orange juice wedged between Prue's iced coffee and Piper's leftover goat cheese pizza. Without a backwards glance, she grabbed the juice and took a swallow directly from the carton. Still holding the late night treat, she leaned back with a contented sigh as arms wound around her waist, and warm lips brushed her ear.

"Hey sweet thing, whatcha doin' out of bed this late?" Paige murmured, her voice husky with sleep.

"Just needed a drink," Phoebe whispered back, leaning more fully into Paige's inviting arms. She kept her voice low automatically, despite the fact that they were alone in the kitchen; the feeling of sleep, of the blanket of night, was heavy through the house, and Phoebe felt an instinctual respect for that veil of darkness. This was its proper place, and she had no desire to disturb it.

"Hmmm, I'm thirsty too," Paige hummed, her fingers grazing teasingly over Phoebe's stomach. Phoebe offered her the orange juice container. "Not for juice," Paige whispered wickedly in her ear, and Phoebe giggled, dropping the carton back on the shelf and turning in her girlfriend's arms as the fridge door slid shut, the small crack of light vanishing back into the night.

"Awww, does baby need some sugar?" Phoebe asked sweetly, leaning up to give Paige a sweet, orange flavored kiss. It started out tender and sleepy, but soon turned more heated. Phoebe nibbled on Paige's bottom lip, which she knew would make her girlfriend make the most delightful noises. She wasn't disappointed, and Paige's soft whimper spurred Phoebe on to deepen the kiss, wrapping one leg around Paige's, sliding her foot lightly up and down her girlfriend's calf. Paige growled, pushing Phoebe back against the kitchen table and crawling on top of her.

They both froze at the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs. Phoebe gave a small squeak of alarm, her hands tightening in Paige's hair. Paige reacted immediately, orbing them both out moments before the kitchen door swung open to reveal Piper and Leo, hunting for their own midnight snack. Moments later, the two giggling lovers reappeared upstairs in Phoebe's bed.

"Close shave," Phoebe observed. "Lucky for me my girlfriend has superpowers."

"Feel free to pay me back any way you like," Paige drawled, nibbling Phoebe's earlobe. As she did so, Phoebe arched up into her mouth, levitating them both off the bed as if it were a natural extension of her own movement. And it was.

When they finally floated back down to the bed, some time later, both were sighing sleepily and trading soft, gentle touches.

"Why does it seem like I never get any sleep when I sleep at your house?" Paige wondered aloud, her head nestled comfortably against Phoebe's shoulder.

"Probably cause you're an insatiable vixen who can't keep her hands to herself for more than five minutes," Phoebe replied in the same sleepy drawl. Paige leaned up on one elbow, smirking, and dropped a long, slow kiss on her girlfriend's already kiss-swollen lips.

"Are you complaining?" She asked coyly.

"Never," Phoebe replied seriously.

"Good," Paige nodded, an adorably serious expression on her face. She studied Phoebe for a moment, her mock-serious face giving way to an authentically thoughtful expression.

"Whatcha thinkin', baby?' Phoebe asked softly, reaching up to run her fingers over Paige's lips.

"Remember that beautiful sunset you showed me at the beach, on our first date?"

"Of course," Phoebe nodded, smiling involuntarily. Paige grinned back. Then she sat up.

"C'mon." She tugged Phoebe up into a sitting position. "I wanna take you somewhere." Phoebe glanced at the clock.

"At two thirty in the morning?"

"We'll only be gone a little while…you don't even have to change out of your jammies." Phoebe leaned forward and kissed Paige deeply.

"Okay." Smiling, their bodies still entwined, the two dissolved in a haze of brilliant white lights.

Piper and Leo had long since finished their midnight snack of cookies and milk, and were back in their own bed, deeply asleep. Piper was nestled up against her husband's strong chest, when he sat up suddenly, gasping, jerking her awake as well. Both being used to any order of late-night attacks, they were awake and alert immediately.

"Leo, what?" Piper began to ask, but before she could finish her question, a blaze of white lights erupted at the foot of their bed, as two figured orbed in.

"Leo, Piper, help!" Paige cried. She was cradling Phoebe's unconscious form, her stomach soaked with blood from a horrible, gaping wound.

"Oh, Goddess," Piper gasped, all the color leaving her face as she saw her baby sister drenched in blood. Leo was already reaching his hands out to heal Phoebe when Prue burst through the door, having also been awakened by Paige's scream. Leo's hands began to glow, signifying that his healing powers were in use. Everyone else in the room felt the vice grip on their hearts loosen slightly, as they all knew that Phoebe must still be alive. They were all so focused on Phoebe, that they nearly didn't notice the demon that appeared in a haze of black smoke.

"The Queen of Shadows will rise!" He screamed, a fanatic gleam in his catlike yellow eyes as he held back an energy ball in his hand. Not missing a beat, Prue turned and threw him across the room with her powers, a second before Piper blew him to oblivion. Paige didn't even look up. She watched as all the blood covering her and Phoebe seemed to slide backwards, into Phoebe's stomach; then the skin mended, and finally her tattered nightshirt. Leo gave a grunt of exhaustion, slumping back as he removed his hands. Piper looked at him in alarm, knowing that it took a lot to tap him of his healing powers.

"Leo, is she?" Piper whispered, too terrified to complete her sentence. Then Phoebe opened her eyes unsteadily, a hazy expression on her face, as if she'd been deeply asleep. She looked up at Paige and smiled.

"Close shave," she murmured. Paige burst into tears, burying her face in Phoebe's hair as she sobbed. "Hey," Phoebe murmured, "it's okay, I'm okay baby…ssssh…I'm okay." Prue, Piper and Leo all looked at each other, wanting answers, but knowing it would be a few minutes before they got any. They all realized that this was the first time Phoebe's girlfriend had ever witnessed an injury of this magnitude, one that required Leo's intervention. And they could all remember how terrifying it had been; when you thought someone you loved was dying. Paige was still sobbing uncontrollably, nearing hysterics. Phoebe was holding her tight, rubbing her back in soothing circles, whispering words of assurance in a calm, loving voice.

"Sssh, sweet girl…I'm here…I'm not going anywhere…just breathe, baby, please. You have to calm down, or you're going to make yourself sick." Phoebe took one of Paige's hands and placed it over her own heart, taking a deep, slow breath. "Breathe with me, love." She took another deep breath, her eyes locked with Paige's, who tried to imitate her. Her breath came out in a ragged gasp. "Good girl," Phoebe murmured, "Again." They took another breath together; this time Paige managed a slightly deeper inhalation. "That's my baby girl," Phoebe smiled through her tears, leaning forward to cover Paige's face with whisper-soft butterfly kisses. As Paige's breathing returned to a somewhat normal, if winded, level, Phoebe pulled back and smiled at her with an expression of utter devotion. "You saved my life, Paige." Paige shook her head, casting her eyes down at the bed.

"Leo saved your life…I'm the one that nearly got you killed."

"Honey, that's ridiculous! How was it your fault?"

"If I'd just orbed us out sooner…reacted faster…"

"Paige, baby, look at me." Phoebe grabbed Paige's face with both hands, forcing her eyes back up. "There was no way we could have anticipated that attack. You orbed me to Leo. You saved my life. Period."

"But it was my idea in the first place…" Paige said softly, her voice still trembling with guilt.

"Honey, listen to what you're saying. There is no way we could've anticipated a demon attack while watching the sunrise!"

"Sunrise?" Prue said hesitantly. She didn't want to break into this private moment between the two lovers any more than anyone else did, but as the oldest and arguably the most stubborn of the lot, she couldn't wait another minute to find out what had happened. She looked out the window for confirmation, then back at Phoebe. "Pheebs, it's the middle of the night."

"Not in Paris," Phoebe said contritely. Her hand slipped down to Paige's leg in a gentle caress. A faint grin finally appeared on Paige's tearstained face.

"Paris?" Piper cried, looking at her husband indignantly. Why didn't he ever orb her anywhere anymore?

"Ohhh, we were gonna bring you guys back fresh croissants," Phoebe said flippantly. "And we were only gone for, like, half an hour. Paige wanted to show me the sunrise from the top of the Eiffel tower." Phoebe gave Paige another bottomless smile, and Paige couldn't help but smile back. Cupping her distressed girlfriend's cheek in her hand, Phoebe kissed her.

"So you got attacked by a demon at the top of the Eiffel tower?' Prue asked incredulously.

"Yup," Phoebe agreed. In trademark Phoebe style, now that the danger was past, she was 100 business and ready to talk shop. "Glad you guys all saw him, so I won't have to make the ID myself."

"Did he say anything when he attacked you the first time? Anything besides, 'the Queen of Shadows will rise'?" Phoebe and Paige looked at each other, and everyone knew that he had indeed said something.

"Actually…" Paige said hesitantly. Her voice was hoarse from crying. "He did say one other thing. Before he said that the Queen of Shadows would rise…he said, 'The Children of the Light will bleed.'"

"The Children of Light?" Piper asked, frowning. "Does that mean white lighters? This demon queen is after white lighters?" She didn't like the sound of that at all, and she scooted closer to Leo under the blankets.

"I'm not a white lighter," Paige reminded them, her head drooping onto Phoebe's shoulder in exhaustion. Even since the moment the demon had attacked, she had been running on a massive dose of adrenalin. Now that the danger was past, it was draining away, leaving her feeling profoundly weak and spent. Phoebe could sense Paige's exhaustion, and pulled her girlfriend more firmly into her arms, her hand still stroking Paige's leg.

"Look," said Phoebe, "whatever this thing is, whatever it's after, we obviously have a lot of research to do. We should all be safe in the manor, for tonight at least, so I vote for starting fresh in the morning. We all need to get some sleep." There was a murmur of consensus, and everyone rose to return to their own bedrooms. Paige clung to Phoebe like a sleepy child, not letting her go for a second.

"Hey," Phoebe murmured when they were finally back in their bed. She gently smoothed Paige's hair back from her face, wiping away the drying tear tracks from her reddened cheeks. "Are you okay, baby? Really?" Paige's eyes were already drooping, but she fought to keep them open. Phoebe knew they would have to have a more serious conversation in the morning, but for now, she wanted assurance that her girlfriend wasn't going to sleep just to wake up screaming in five minutes.

"Thought I was gonna lose you," Paige murmured, her eyes filling with fresh tears as she looked up into Phoebe's concerned face.

"You're never going to lose me," Phoebe said fiercely, squeezing Paige's hand in her own.

"I love you," Paige whispered. Despite the terror and emotional roller coaster they'd been through in the past hour, Phoebe felt joy rising up inside her like pure, liquid sweetness at the sound of those words from Paige's lips.

"I love you too, my sweet girl." Phoebe leaned forward and kissed Paige's sleepy face. By the time she pulled back to look at her, Paige was fast asleep, her hand still holding Phoebe's. Smiling, Phoebe nestled down next to her, breathing in the soothingly sweet scent of Paige's hair. The demon's words echoed in her head…_the children of the light will bleed._ Whatever Paige said to the contrary, she was more white lighter than not, and Phoebe was worried about what was out there, after her baby. In the morning, she thought sleepily…we'll figure it out in the morning.


	6. A Prophecy

**Charmed and Dangerous**—Part 6

**Summary**: A new evil threatens the Charmed Ones…or are they after something else? The latest installment of my Phoebe/Paige saga.

**Rating**: R

Paige's ascent to wakefulness was slow and murky. She felt so tired; it was as if her whole body was made of lead, and she could feel herself sinking lower and lower, right to the center of the earth. She wanted to open her eyes, but it was so hard. Everything was dark and hazy; her thoughts were like molasses. She couldn't seem to find anything to hold onto, and she was in pain.

"Paige…wake up, sweetie…" Phoebe. It was Phoebe's voice, calling her from somewhere very far away. She wanted to answer; she tried to call out. But she couldn't seem to open her mouth. She wasn't sure she even had a mouth. Her body felt like it was dissolving into a sea of pain. Phoebe, help me! She thought desperately.

"I'm right here, baby…don't be scared…it's just a bad dream, love, come back to me…" Phoebe's voice was so soft, gentle and full of love. It was like warm water being poured over the ice she felt trapped inside; she could feel her senses returning, feel her fingers and toes moving. Gasping, Paige opened her eyes.

"Phoebe!" She screamed, sitting bolt upright in bed, arms flailing.

"I'm here, baby, I'm right here," Phoebe said soothingly, arms wrapping around her shaking lover.

"Ohhh…" Paige groaned, collapsing in Phoebe's strong embrace as the waking world filtered in. She closed her eyes against the painfully bright morning light and buried her face in her girlfriend's warm, inviting neck.

"How are you feeling, sweetie?" Phoebe asked, drawing back to look anxiously into Paige's face.

"Like I came down with a 24-hour case of the Black Plague," Paige groaned, curling into a ball with her head resting on Phoebe's chest. Her stomach was churning, as if a million angry insects were trying to claw their way out. Her head was throbbing, her sinuses were all stuffed up, and her eyes and nose felt raw and sore, as if she'd been stuck in a sandstorm.

"I think you cried yourself sick, honey," Phoebe said sympathetically, holding her whimpering girlfriend and rubbing her back. "Want me to rub your tummy?"

"Phoebe," Paige ground out through clenched teeth, "I think I'm gonna throw up." Phoebe leaned down and grabbed the wastebasket from beside her bed, and put it in front of Paige, just in case.

"Relax, baby, I'm here…everything's okay…just lean back against me…" Phoebe's hands wormed around Paige's tense body as she spoke, getting between her raised knees and her stomach, rubbing her distressed tummy in gentle, soothing circles. "Listen to the sound of my voice, baby…stay with me…" Paige's body began to relax, her eyes sliding closed as she leaned back against Phoebe. Phoebe's eyes closed, too. "I love you, Paige. I will never stop loving you." With both their eyes closed, neither of them saw the brilliant, golden light that emanated from Phoebe's hands as she spoke. Paige let out a long, slow breath as the nausea receded. Her body went completely limp as she dropped her head back against Phoebe's shoulder.

"Wow," was all Paige could manage to say as Phoebe moved one hand up to brush the hair off her forehead.

"Does that feel better, honey?"

"Yeah," Paige nodded dumbly. "It feels amazing…what did you do?" She glanced up curiously into Phoebe's eyes.

"Just what I always do…" Phoebe kissed the end of Paige's nose. "Love you."

"Cornball." Paige giggled. The action caused a sharp, shooting pain through her head, reminding her of the rest of her aches and pains.

"Your head really hurts, huh?" Phoebe said sympathetically.

"Yeah…" Paige was too disoriented, and in too much pain, to stop to wonder how Phoebe knew her head hurt.

"I know just what you need." Phoebe got up and tugged Paige down the hall to the bathroom. She turned the shower on to a good, hot blast, and then went into the medicine cabinet, returning with a small vial of some sort of liquid, and a ceramic aromatherapy cup. Pouring out a few drops from the vial, she hung it over the top of the showerhead. Paige was immediately hit with the fragrant scent of eucalyptus.

"Ooooh," Paige sighed, "that's nice."

"Hop in," Phoebe said mischievously, waggling her eyebrows as she stripped off her clothes and jumped into the shower. Paige was right behind her, sighing happily as the hot water hit her tense muscles and began to wash away her aches and pains. The steamy clouds of eucalyptus were doing an incredible job of clearing up the stuffiness in her head, and soothing away her headache at the same time.

"Baby, you are some kind of miracle worker," Paige moaned happily, as Phoebe's warm and soapy hands came around her waist and began lathering her up with sandalwood scented bubbles.

"Mmmm, a hot shower will cure almost anything," Phoebe agreed. "And the eucalyptus always clears up a sinus headache…Grams would always throw me in here when I had a cold as a kid." Paige turned in Phoebe's arms, smiling into the adoring brown eyes that were focused completely on her.

"Thank you for taking such good care of me," she said seriously, capturing Phoebe's soapy hands in her own.

"Thank you for letting me," Phoebe replied. They started into each other's eyes for several long moments, neither feeling the need to speak as the hot water pounded over them, soothing them almost as much as each other's presence. Then Paige leaned in and gave Phoebe a soft and gentle kiss.

"I love you so much," she murmured, her hands running through Phoebe's wet hair as their bodies entwined. "Can't believe…how scared I was last night…" Their breath became erratic as the kiss deepened.

"Nothing could ever make me leave you," Phoebe gasped, pressing herself more fully into Paige's warmth. Then they both lost all ability to speak, as their passion overtook them. Phoebe hoped her sisters had already had their showers today, because she knew for certain that there wouldn't be any hot water left by the time she and Paige were through.

Later, dried and dressed, Phoebe and Paige found their way to the kitchen, where Prue and Piper were finishing their breakfast.

"Strawberry pancakes!" Phoebe squealed happily. "Yay, Piper!" Phoebe went around the table to give her big sister a kiss on the cheek. "You are in for a treat, Paige."

"Oh, I'm sure they're awesome, but I can't have any," Paige said apologetically.

"Why not?" Phoebe asked, looking as crestfallen as if she had made them herself.

"I'm allergic to strawberries."

"What now?" Piper gave Paige a dubious look. "You're an angel, Paige. Angels don't have food allergies."

"How many times do I have to tell you crazy people that I am half human?" Paige said with a roll of her eyes. "And my human half is allergic to strawberries. So unless you all want to spend the rest of your Sunday afternoon in the ER, I'll just have a bowl of cereal."

"No, no, don't be silly," Piper said with a wave of her hands as she rose from the table. "I can make other kinds of pancakes! Name your favorite."

"Uh…" Paige stammered. She was used to Phoebe spoiling her at this point, but the idea of her sisters going out of their way to make her breakfast took her completely by surprise.

"C'mon, Paige, Piper always makes us special breakfasts on Sunday. She'll feel insulted if you reject her."

"Oh, I wasn't rejecting"

"Okay then!" Piper clapped her hands in her usual 'order in the court' manner. "What'll it be? Blueberry? Banana? Ohh! I can do lemon poppy if you wanna try it!"

"Blueberry's great…thanks." Paige smiled shyly at Piper, feeling altogether undeserving of such pampering, but realizing she had little choice but to acquiesce in the face of the Charmed Ones at work—even if it was only in the kitchen.

"You don't have any siblings, do you Paige?" Prue asked, looking up from the paper.

"No…" Paige said uncertainly. "How did you know?"

"You just seem like someone who's used to doing everything for yourself," Prue said wisely. "I hope you won't feel too overwhelmed by 'team Halliwell' here."

"No, actually I…I like it," Paige said, looking at Phoebe. They shared a shy smile, which Prue observed wordlessly. The two sat down at the table with their coffee, while Piper went about making more pancakes for the late risers.

"So," Phoebe drawled, holding Paige's hand and drawing patterns over her palm, "If I have the strawberry pancakes, can you still kiss me?" She grinned impishly up at the matching glint in Paige's brown eyes.

"Hmm, I dunno…could be risky…maybe we better stock up now, just to be safe…" Prue rolled her eyes at Piper as the two insatiable young lovers kissed.

"You do know you're still in the kitchen, right?" Prue said dryly. Without acknowledging that they had heard Prue, Paige and Phoebe orbed out.

"Breakfast in ten minutes!" Piper hollered after them. Prue was laughing. "I hope they don't think I'm gonna make them more pancakes if they forget about these," Piper groused, flipping the perfect pancakes.

"Oh, please. You're just mad cause you and Leo aren't in the orb-to-your-room-every-five-minutes stage anymore."

"That is not true!" Piper exclaimed. Prue looked at her with one eyebrow cocked. "Okay, yes, that is true," Piper conceded grumpily. "I mean, we can't all go to Paris on the drop of a dime…but would it kill him to show a little of that insatiability?" she asked, jerking one thumb up toward the ceiling, where they both knew Phoebe and Paige would now be.

"It's brand new for them, Piper," Prue said, smiling affectionately at her little sister. "You are Leo were exactly like that in the beginning, too…when the one you love is like this completely new world, and it's all yours to discover. Big, romantic gestures come easily then. And then time passes…you know each other better and better…and eventually, those kinds of romantic impulses become more deliberate. You're not just swept up in the passion…you're steering it. And one might even argue that it's better then," Prue finished with a flourish, sipping her coffee innocently.

"Aaaah, who made you the wise old witch of the northwest?" Piper groused. But she was smirking over her pancakes.

"Who are you calling old, sister?" Prue asked, eyes narrowed. They smiled at each other as Leo orbed in.

"Leo!" Piper said happily, going up to him and giving him a big, fat, wet kiss.

"Hi honey," Leo said dazedly, a wide, goofy smile on his lips. "What was that for?"

"Just cause I love you," Piper said sweetly, smiling back. "So what did you find out from the elders? Who is this demon queen bitch, and what does she want with white lighters?"

"Well, the elders don't think it's white lighters she's after." Piper raised both eyebrows expectantly. "They think…well, they think it's Phoebe and Paige." Prue's eyebrows raised to join Piper's.

"And why exactly do they think that?" Piper asked dangerously.

"They wouldn't say," Leo admitted, looking down at his feet.

"They WOULDN'T SAY?" Piper repeated incredulously. "Some royal demon is after my baby sister, and they won't tell us what they know? Leo, what is going on?"

"Wait," Prue broke in, "Phoebe and Paige are 'The Children of the Light'?" That doesn't make any sense. Why Phoebe?"

"Look, guys, I really don't know any more than you do," Leo insisted, looking back and forth between them with a slightly panicked expression. Which wasn't necessarily uncalled for, as they were both eyeing him like angry mother lions. He knew they weren't about to literally rip out his jugular, but the protectiveness that Prue and Piper held for their little sister was quite frightening nonetheless.

"Leo…" Piper said sternly, folding her arms.

"Okay. All I can tell you is, that there's a prophecy involved. You know how much the elders frown on us knowing too much about our own futures…we could start second-guessing everything we do, and mess up what's meant to be. We all just have to trust ourselves to handle this demon, just like we've always handled them."

"Oh, did we get the scoop on the demon?" Phoebe walked in smiling brightly.

"Not exactly…" Prue glanced distractedly at her youngest sister. "Where's Paige?"

"Freshening up." Phoebe grinned saucily and looked down at the floor as a blush colored her cheeks. "She'll be down in a minute."

"Well you might wanna go get her, I think she'd want to hear—" Piper began, but stopped abruptly when Phoebe gasped and clutched her stomach. "Phoebe? What did you see?"

"Paige is in trouble," Phoebe gasped, looking up at the ceiling. Everyone bolted for the stairs. Before they'd even left the kitchen, though, Paige orbed in, slightly out of breath, behind Leo.

"Demon!" She screamed, a split second before another yellow-eyed demon appeared in the kitchen, exactly like the one from the night before. A fat blue energy ball rested in his hand.

"The queen of shadows—" he roared, but Piper blew him up where he stood before he could finish.

"Will rise, yeah yeah, we know," Piper finished, putting her hands on her hips and staring at the new scorch mark on the kitchen floor. Phoebe rushed over to Paige, running her hands all over Paige's body in a frantic search for injury.

"Baby, you okay?" She asked urgently.

"I'm fine, Pheebs. Your sister's a total bad-ass."

"Yeah, I am," Piper smirked. "Oh! Pancakes are ready!"

"Groovy," Paige smiled, taking Phoebe's hand and leading her back to the table. "So what do we know about these medieval losers, anyway?" Prue watched this exchange and smiled. With everything that had happened in the past twelve hours, most boyfriends—or girlfriends—would have run for the hills by now. Of course, Phoebe's girlfriend wasn't exactly 'normal' by any human standard, but even so, the Charmed Ones had always had a rough run when it came to love. Most people were scared off once they saw a glimpse of daily life in the Halliwell manor. Prue was glad to see that Paige wouldn't be one of them.

"Apparently," Piper said when Leo remained stubbornly silent, "the elders are under the impression that the two of you—" she eyeballed Phoebe and Paige as she put their pancakes down in front of them—"are the 'Children of Light,' and there is some sort of prophecy about you. But they won't tell us what it is." She said this part directly to Leo, who still wasn't looking at her.

"There's a prophecy…about us?" Paige asked softly, a dazed look falling over her face.

"Wait," Phoebe held up a hand. "Are they saying that there's a prophecy about these 'Children of Light' and the elders think that we're them…or, that the prophecy is actually about Phoebe Halliwell and Paige Matthews?"

"That's a good question," Piper said, narrowing her eyes. "Leo?" All eyes were on Leo then. Leo was still looking at the floor. He sighed.

"The prophecy concerns the youngest Charmed One, and her true love…one who was born to the human world, but blessed with the light of divine grace." No one quite knew what to say to this. It was, undeniably, Phoebe and Paige in the prophecy…but the words 'true love' had left them all a little shell-shocked, especially Paige. Was she really Phoebe's true love? Could she ever live up to a prophecy like that? Was Phoebe going to get hurt, or worse, because of her? Suddenly she completely lost her appetite, and pushed her pancakes away.

"Phoebe," Prue finally said, "what exactly did you see in your premonition?"

"Huh?" Phoebe looked up dazedly.

"The premonition you had, just before Paige was attacked."

"I didn't have a premonition," Phoebe said, shaking her head.

"Phoebe, we saw you. You jumped like a live wire hit you, and you said Paige was in trouble. Two seconds later, Paige orbed in here with a demon on her tail. You're saying that wasn't a premonition?"

"No, it wasn't," Phoebe reiterated firmly. "I'm not sure what it was…I just knew that Paige was in trouble. I could feel it," she said softly, one hand going unconsciously to her stomach, as if to demonstrate where she'd sensed it. Paige's hand went to Phoebe's leg, giving her a gentle squeeze.

"Well that's just weird," Piper said finally.

"Maybe her powers are growing, " Prue said thoughtfully.

"Maybe," Phoebe nodded absently, though in her gut she knew that wasn't it. "I really want to know more about this prophecy thing."

"You already know as much as I know, and the elders won't say any more," Leo insisted with a shake of his head.

"Then you go back up there and you MAKE them say more, Leo," Prue said in her most dangerous voice, eyes flashing. "Do NOT come back down here unless it is to give us some answers!" Too intimidated to answer, Leo orbed out. Paige looked at Prue, and made a mental note never to get on her bad side.

"I guess we should hit the book of shadows and see what we can dig up about this queen demon," Piper said brusquely as she drained the last of her coffee. "Prue, wanna help?" Prue nodded, and the two rose and cleared their dishes from the table.

"We'll come help too," Phoebe offered, rising from her chair.

"No, Pheebs, eat your breakfast," Piper said, pushing her back into her chair.

"Yes, Mom," Phoebe grinned. Piper swatted her arm and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks, guys, for breakfast, and…everything." Paige looked shyly from Prue to Piper.

"Don't worry about it, Paige," Piper said lightly, but her eyes were very serious. "Anything that wants to hurt you, has to get through the Charmed Ones…and we are the resident bad-asses in this town." Paige smiled and nodded. She wasn't worried for herself…she just hoped that Phoebe and her sisters wouldn't end up getting hurt because of her.

TBC…


	7. Gods & Goddesses

**Charmed & Dangerous**—Part 7

**Summary**: Phoebe and Paige come face-to-face with an evil that will test not only their magic, but their love.

**Rating**: PG-13

**Note on cultural appropriation**: I am using real gods & goddesses from eastern mythology in this story, and like everything else in the world of fanfic, the incarnation of these figures is entirely fiction. No disrespect to real-world religions is intended.

As soon as Phoebe walked through the attic door, she knew that Piper and Prue had found something, just as she knew it wasn't something she was going to like. They were standing over the Book of Shadows with grim looks on their faces, and when they saw her, they looked at her the same way they had when, as kids, they'd had to tell her that her goldfish was dead.

"Okay, you two, poker is definitely not your game. So what did you find? Have we ID'd this demon yet, or what?"

"Well…yes and no," Prue said hesitantly. Phoebe looked at her, nonplussed.

"What she means," Piper broke in, "is that, well, we found out who this _Queen of Shadows_ person is…but, um…"

"But _what_, Piper? Spit it out already!" Phoebe growled, growing agitated.

"She's not a demon, Phoebe."

"What, then? A warlock?" Phoebe looked back and forth between her sisters, who both seemed to find their shoelaces suddenly fascinating.

"She's a goddess, Phoebe." Suddenly the room began to blur. Phoebe could feel her senses pulling away from her, as the sounds of her sisters' voices faded and the feel of the floor beneath her feet fell away. The next thing she knew, the floor reappeared under her back, and she was staring up at Prue and Piper's worried faces.

"Whaaa?" Phoebe groaned dazedly as Prue began to pick her up off the floor. Before she had even risen to a sitting position, however, Paige came bursting in, eyes wild.

"Phoebe! Are you okay? What happened?" Paige rushed to Phoebe's other side, searching her for hidden injuries.

"I'm okay, honey…I think I just fainted for a second." Phoebe rubbed her eyes, feeling the acute vertigo drain away as Paige's fingers ran over her scalp, looking for a bump or a bruise. She leaned into the warm arms supporting her, and allowed Paige and Prue to help her stand up.

"Paige, how did you know?" Piper asked curiously, once they were all satisfied that Phoebe wasn't in any immediate danger.

"I don't know," Paige answered honestly as all eyes in the room fell on her. "I think…I think it was the same thing that happened to Phoebe when that demon attacked me this morning."

"Did you feel me?" Phoebe asked softly, her hand resting on Paige's flat stomach. Paige nodded, and they shared a look that was both confused and knowing at the same time.

"Are you two going telepathic on us?" Piper asked nervously, looking between them. "Cause, if you are, it would explain why Maya is after you."

"Maya Shakti?" Paige asked in a hushed whisper, tearing her eyes away from Phoebe to look at Piper and the book.

"You know about her?" Prue asked, her entire manor changing in an instant from 'big sister time' to 'demon hunter time.'

"Well, I know about her place in Hindu and Buddhist mythology…I don't know if it has anything to do with, y'know, reality…" Paige trailed off uncertainly, suddenly unsure of herself. The idea of 'real' mythology was giving her a bit of a headache. Phoebe reached out and put her hands on Paige's temples, rubbing them gently. Paige smiled at her.

"You felt that?"

"Uh-huh."

"Wow."

"I know."

"O-kay, you two are starting to freak me out," Piper said in her high-pitched, I'm-trying-not-to-panic voice.

"We can feel each other's feelings, Piper," Phoebe explained calmly. "I don't really understand it…but I know it's right. Just like I know that your head feels better now," she said to Paige, smiling and kissing her temple as she removed her fingers.

"Are we talking, E.T. style, you-hurt-I-hurt, or full on, I-read-the-book-and-you-know-what-it-says?" Prue asked with interest.

"Column A, I think," Paige said, with a glace to Phoebe who nodded in agreement.

"It's not words…it doesn't happen up here," Phoebe explained, tapping her forehead.

"Yeah," Paige agreed, "it's more visceral. I didn't know what had happened upstairs, just that Phoebe was scared and in pain."

"Just like I knew this morning with the demon," Phoebe nodded as the pieces began to click together.

"Is it possible they're developing some sort of joint power?" Piper mused, looking automatically to her older sister for validation.

"Anything's possible," Prue admitted. "We really don't have enough to go on yet…I'd like to get back to what Paige knows about our bad guy—I mean, gal." Everyone looked at Paige. Paige shrugged.

"I only know what everyone who took "Intro to Eastern Religions" last quarter knows…" When the sisters looked at her blankly, Paige elaborated. "Okay, Maya Shakti, she's the Goddess of Illusion. She creates the myth of the self, of separation from the whole."

"So now _we're_ the myths?" Piper asked.

"No…" Paige sighed. "See, it's hard to understand Eastern philosophy with a Western mindset. I'm not sure I'm even explaining it well. See, in Hindu mythology…Buddhist too…the world began in pure unity, a single, great consciousness. That's what the _Ohm_ represents." The Charmed Ones nodded, all of them familiar with the soothing mantra from their own meditations.

"So," Paige continued, "When the perfection of that unified consciousness was broken…all these little pieces of divine consciousness were shattered, and they all fell into the world and they just, you know, kind of play with each other. Each believing in their own autonomy, the idea of self in opposition to other, me versus you, mine versus yours. And they lose sight of the fact that they're all just refractions of each other." Phoebe was nodding, but Prue and Piper were still looking at her the way her classmates in study section did when they didn't want to admit they weren't following her.

"Okay," Paige said brightly, settling on a new approach. "Imagine that your foot suddenly sees itself in opposition to your arm. Imagine that all your body parts have their own, separate consciousness, and each one sees itself as an autonomous unit. How well would your body function? How would blood flow through your circulatory system?"

There was a collective _Ohhhhhh_, as everyone in the room finally came up to speed.

"Everyone in your class knows all that?" Phoebe asked impishly, looking up at Paige adoringly.

"More or less," Paige shrugged, giving Phoebe a lopsided smile.

"Well I'm starting to get a picture here," Prue said slowly. "This Maya chick…or goddess…or whatever…she feeds off separation, divisiveness. So anyone who can overcome that, and become part of each other they way you two have, is obviously a threat to her."

"In the stories we read in class, she came after Buddha and tried to get him to renounce the path of truth by tempting him with all the sins of the flesh…wine and women and everything…kind of parallel to the whole, 'Last Temptation of Christ' story." Paige said musingly. "When he wouldn't give in to her, she became enraged, and tried to destroy him, but his tranquility in the path of truth was so great, that her powers backfired on her and she ended up sending herself to hell…or at least, something like that. I'm not sure there's a Buddhist version of hell, per se. Plus, I think Gods and Goddesses have their own afterlife-y deal. I dunno, maybe she got karmically recycled or something."

"Well she's here now, maybe she worked her way back up the chain," Prue mused. "After all, it has been about five thousand years since she took on the happy fat guy." Phoebe cringed.

"Are you saying she's been juicing up for five millennia to come after _us?_ We're not the freaking Buddha!" Phoebe cried, her heart pounding as the enormity of the situation hit her.

"But you are bodhisattvas," Leo stated calmly as he orbed in beside them.

"Bodhi—what now?" Piper quirked her eyebrows at her husband.

"It means they're spiritual warriors," Leo explained serenely. "Those whose purpose is to enlighten the world, to be an example to others by living in truth, love and harmony." He was looking at Phoebe and Paige as he spoke, both of whom were draining of color rapidly.

"No, Leo," Paige shook her head stubbornly, "this is some sort of mistake. We're not—_I'm_ not—it's just mythology!" She finished desperately.

"Like angels?" Leo asked impishly, smiling benignly at her like a favorite niece.

"And witches?" Prue added, coming to stand next to Leo. Paige continued to shake her head, staring at the floor. Phoebe was staring at nothing, in a complete daze.

"That's why you never developed an active power like your sisters, Phoebe," Leo continued in the same gentle, calming voice. "Your path lies in the way of peace…your destiny is with Paige, to usher in an era of utopia, by elevating humanity's capacity for compassion to a new level. Culminating with your firstborn daughter." Both Phoebe and Paige jerked their heads up at these words, staring at Leo with mouths agape, like fish out of water.

"Leo, are you _trying_ to give me a heart attack?" Phoebe managed to gasp out, leaning back against Paige for support. She could feel Paige's heart thudding wildly in her chest, and she hardly needed the new empathic power they shared to know that her girlfriend was freaking out as much as she was. She took Paige's hand and lead them both to the couch before their knees gave out.

"You wanted to know!" Leo exclaimed exasperatedly.

"The prophecy?' Paige asked weakly. Leo nodded.

"Maya's return has tipped the balance between good and evil…and the Universe always maintains its own alignment. Destiny has chosen you two because the purity of your love has enabled you to see past the socially constructed notions of separateness, to a level of consciousness where _self_ and _other_ are flipsides of the same coin. Your magic is elevated at the same time. Only a couple whose love is blessed by divine light can conceive the child who will usher in utopia…the goddess of compassion incarnate."

"Conceive?" Paige looked daggers at Leo. "I don't know if you've noticed, Leo, but Phoebe and I don't exactly have all the necessary equipment between us for any _conceiving_." Her eyes blazed.

"Honey—" Phoebe began, laying a placating hand on Paige's arm.

_"No!"_ Paige yelled, jerking her arm away. Her eyes shone with tears that spilled down her cheeks as she tried to blink them away. "Do you think that's funny, Leo? To dangle something like that in front of a couple of girls? You think I haven't lain awake at night, daydreaming about what it would be like to be able to make a baby with the person you love? To make a life, a real human being, out of love? I can't _have_ that, Leo!" Paige screamed, hot tears running down her cheeks.

"Baby," Phoebe murmured, reaching out to take Paige's face between her hands. As her palms made contact with Paige's tearstained cheeks, they both gasped and went rigid.

_Phoebe saw the scene just like she always did—from outside of herself, like a dream, where she was the invisible narrator. She was not inside her body, or any body, for that matter. She looked down and saw herself, asleep in her own bed, with Paige wrapped snugly around her. It was obviously some time in the future, because they both had different hairstyles; Paige was now strawberry blond, while Phoebe's hair was jet-black and cut in stylish layers. Phoebe couldn't help thinking how adorable they looked together. Paige was thinking it, too. Paige was there with her—not the her in the bed, the real her, watching form outside themselves. They couldn't talk to each other, as they lacked bodies, mouths, and vocal cords, but it didn't matter. They could feel each other's presence, and both knew they were together and safe. _

_Then a tiny field of blue-white lights appeared at the foot of the bed, and a little girl—no more than three or four—orbed onto their feet. The Paige and Phoebe on the bed didn't wake up. The little girl crawled quietly up their bodies, pulling back the fluffy comforter to reveal a very pregnant Paige. The dark haired child then pushed up Paige's pajama top and spoke directly to her stomach._

_"Good morning, baby," the child whispered. "Are you ready to be born?" Then she laid her head down against Paige's bellybutton, kissing it, and looking as if she were listening for a response. She closed her eyes, smiling serenely. _

_"Good morning, baby girl," Paige murmured sleepily, her hand ruffling the dark hair spilling over her belly._

_"Mama, the baby's hungry! She wants chocolate," The little one said with absolute conviction._

_"Don't I know it," Paige agreed, opening her eyes to gaze adoringly at her child._

_"Mmmm…" Phoebe was waking up now, too, nuzzling her face into Paige's neck, her hand going automatically to the round tummy already being showered with love. "Baby always gets what she wants…" she drawled sleepily, blinking open her eyes. Paige smirked and kissed her. Watching the tender scene unfold, Phoebe couldn't help but notice the wedding ring that adorned her finger resting on Paige's swollen belly. _

_"Mommy," the child said to Phoebe, "what did I like to eat when I was in your tummy?" She crawled further up to snuggle between her parents, pulling Phoebe's arm around her as she nuzzled into Paige's hair, just like her mommy._

_"Welllll…" Phoebe grinned, exchanging a mischievous look with Paige, "the first thing you liked me to eat was…Brussels sprouts!"_

_"It was not!" the little girl shrieked, a grin on her face. "It was watermelon!"_

_"Oh, that's right," Phoebe said, smacking her forehead in a exaggerated way. "Then after that, you were always thirsty for milk. Milk, milk, milk! I drank so much milk I thought I was gonna turn into a cow."_

_"I wouldn't turn you into a cow, silly Mommy," the little girl giggled, her dark eyes shining with glee._

_"I know, honey," Phoebe smiled. "And I certainly remember the last thing you wanted before you were born…" Phoebe trailed off, looking at Paige adoringly. Paige smiled back._

_"Chocolate chip pancakes!" The child shrieked, bouncing on the bed excitedly._

_"Sound good, baby?" Phoebe asked, stroking Paige's tummy absently as they got lost in each other's eyes._

_"Sounds perfect," Paige hummed, leaning forward to give Phoebe another slow, sweet kiss. _

_"Does that mean the baby will come out soon?" The little girl asked eagerly._

_"Hmmm, didn't she tell you when she'd be ready to come out?" Paige asked teasingly, stroking her daughter's dark, silky hair and pushing it behind her ears._

_"Awww, she doesn't know," the child shrugged. "I don't think she even knows she's ever gonna come out! She doesn't know what it's like!" She looked up at her parents, frustration and confusion evident in her eyes. "If she doesn't decide when it's time to be born, and you don't decide, then who does?" Paige looked at Phoebe, a doesn't-our-daughter-ask-smart-questions expression on her face._

_"Nobody decides, Tara," Phoebe explained patiently. "Just like nobody decides when it's time for the sun to set, or the tide to come in. Things happen when they're ready to happen…just like the plums in the back yard fall off the tree when they're ripe." The little girl nodded. _

_"Nature always knows when things are ready," she said wisely._

Phoebe gasped and opened her eyes. Paige was next to her, clutching her hand. For a moment they just stared at each other, wordlessly. Then Phoebe reached up and gave Paige the tenderest, sweetest kiss of her life.

"Uh…guys?" Piper asked hesitantly. "Wanna tell us what ya saw?"

"Um…" Phoebe looked up with a blush coloring her cheeks. "Let's just say, we won't have to argue over what to name our first child."

"I wonder what we were gonna name the one on the way?" Paige mused, a giddy grin plastered on her face. Prue and Piper started blankly between the two dazed lovers on the couch, and Leo, who was smiling at them like a proud grandpa.

"Leo, how…?" Piper trailed off, unable to voice her question.

"Don't you know by now, Piper?" Leo smiled at his wife. "When witches and white lighters get together, there's enough magic in the air to do anything…creating life comes naturally." Piper grinned back at her husband. They'd been worried that they might not be able to have a baby of their own lately, after Piper's doctor had informed her that she had scar tissue in her womb. Apparently, it wasn't such a problem after all. Piper threw her arms around Leo, and, incongruously, burst out laughing.

"Will SOMEBODY please tell me SOMETHING!" Prue finally yelled, getting fed up with being left out of the loop.

"Sorry," Phoebe said sheepishly, as she and Paige came up for air. "In a nutshell? We saw our daughter. And her name is…"

"Tara?" Leo asked gently. Phoebe nodded, her mouth slightly open.

"Wait a minute," Paige said, holding up her hand. "Leo, you said…goddess of compassion incarnate…you didn't mean…our daughter…she's not…Tara, like, _the green tara?_ Is she?" Leo and Paige were looking at each other in a knowing way, while everyone else just looked confused.

"I'm cashing in all my chips here, people," Prue said finally. "So will someone please buy me a clue?"

"Well," Paige said slowly, "the green tara is the Japanese name for the goddess Avalokiteshvara…she's like the Hindu archetype of infinite compassion. She was sorta one of Buddha's right-hand men. Or women. You know."

"And now she's coming back as your daughter?" Piper asked incredulously.

"Not _now_, now," Phoebe said in a squeaky voice. "I mean, we haven't even finished college yet! We aren't even married! We need time and charts and prenatal vitamins and oh god do we need protection? Like, magical safe sex?" Both girls looked at Leo to answer this question, who in turn went several shades of red.

"Um, magical conception only happens when a great force of intention is behind it. You can't, um…do it…by accident."

"Oh." Phoebe gave a huge sigh of relief.

"Good," Paige nodded. "I mean, I'm as eager as the next girl to be the mother of a reincarnated goddess, but Phoebe's right, we're _way_ not ready." She looked at her shell-shocked girlfriend and smiled devilishly. "You looked so cute with your hair all wild and black," she murmured, her fingers grazing over Phoebe's collarbone.

"Hmmm, you were pretty foxy as a redhead, _Mama_," Phoebe purred. The look that passed between them raised the temperature in the room several degrees.

"Don't even go there, you two," Prue said dangerously, slamming her hand down on the Book of Shadows for emphasis. "We still have a lot of work to do! I think we need to figure out exactly what new powers Paige and Phoebe have, so we at least have a shot of fighting back when Queen whatever shows up."

"Well, we've seen that Paige gets premonitions now," Piper mused, "and they both have this emotional link with each other…do you think there's any more?"

"There is," Leo said. "Paige is beginning to come into her full powers as a white lighter…and she's sharing them with Phoebe."

"Are you crazy?" Phoebe looked at Leo like a three-headed monkey. "I can't orb!"

"Are you sure?" Leo challenged. Then he stood up, grabbed an athame off the nearest shelf, and flung it at Phoebe. Phoebe shrieked and immediately orbed out, reappearing behind Piper.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Paige yelled angrily, glaring daggers at Leo.

"Teaching Phoebe about her new powers," Leo said simply. "If anything had gone wrong, you could've healed her anyway."

"Leo, you know I can't heal."

In the middle of the argument, just as everyone was beginning to reorient themselves, no less than fifteen fire-throwing, yellow-eyed demons appeared around them.

"Prepare for the coming of the darkness!" The lead demon roared, as four of them grabbed Prue and Piper, holding their arms behind their backs so they couldn't use their powers. Two of them threw potions at Leo and Paige. The remaining demons all jumped on Phoebe, tackling her.

"Phoebe!" Paige screamed, as a gut-wrenching pain lanced through her, as if a part of her own body were being town away from her. She gasped and doubled over. When she raised her head, all the demons were gone—and so was Phoebe.


	8. Descent

**Charmed & Dangerous**: Part 8

**Summary**: Paige must band together with Phoebe's sisters to save her from the Underworld. Part 1 of the conclusion!

**Rating**: R (for language)

Paige stood rooted to the spot, staring at the place where Phoebe had been moments before. Piper's groan of pain snapped her out of her daze as she glanced over and saw both her girlfriend's sisters raising themselves off the floor, looking much the worse for wear. Piper had a trickle of blood running from her nose, and Prue sported a nasty slash mark across her upper arm.

"Leo," Prue said weakly, holding out her arm to him. He rushed to her side and put his hand out over her arm, preparing to heal her. But nothing happened.

"Leo?" Piper said uncertainly. "What's the matter?"

"I can't heal her," Leo said in a shaky voice. "That potion the demons threw at me…it must have been a binding potion." He looked up at Paige grimly. "They got you too, didn't they?" Paige looked helplessly between them all, as guilt poured over her thin frame like molten lead. She nodded. Then she tried to orb. Her eyes squeezed shut as she balled her hands into fists, and appeared to hold her breath for almost thirty seconds. Finally, with a gasp she relaxed.

"Fuck," Paige whispered brokenly. She glanced around the room in a manic sort of way, eyes glazed, as if searching for a solution in the remains of the ransacked attic. Then she snapped her fingers and ran for the stairs. Piper and Prue glanced curiously at each other, and followed, Prue still pressing a ripped bit of her shirt to her bleeding arm. They found Paige standing in the middle of the kitchen, eyes closed, holding a small spice jar up to her face and breathing deeply. She sneezed violently, but didn't orb. When she opened her eyes and found herself stationary, she howled in frustration and threw the jar of cinnamon into the corner, where it shattered.

"Fuck…" she whispered again, her voice small and lost. She was staring into space, as if she were in shock. And, they thought, she probably was. Paige wiped her nose listlessly against the back of her hand, and sneezed again.

"Here, sweetie, blow your nose," Piper said gently, handing her a box of Kleenex from the counter and laying a comforting hand on her back. Paige accepted the offering, blowing her nose and rubbing her eyes roughly, blinking up at Piper as if she had suddenly realized she wasn't alone in the room. Piper felt a fierce protectiveness rising up inside her for this girl, her sister's lover. In some intangible way, she already felt that Paige was a part of their family, and her need to protect this younger girl was as strong in her as her need to protect Phoebe. She knew that Paige was her own person, and not just a part of Phoebe; but the connection between them was so palpable, Piper felt as if Paige were her little sister, now, too.

"We're gonna get her back, Paige," Piper said quietly, an edge of hard steel in her voice. "That's a promise." Paige nodded, as Prue came up on her other side. They all moved to the table, where Piper got out the first aid kit and began cleaning up Prue's arm as they worked out how to rescue Phoebe from an evil goddess.

"If she's in the underworld, we won't be able to scry for her," Prue pointed out unnecessarily.

"She is," Leo said. "It explains why I can't sense her anywhere."

"I can," Paige said quietly. All heads in the room turned to her.

"But—" Piper began, confusion evident on her face.

"That potion Leo and I got hit with, it bound our whitelighter powers…" Paige was staring at the tablecloth, a little spaced out, as if half of her attention were elsewhere. "But Phoebe's and my connection, it doesn't have anything to do with that. I can sense her…no matter where she is."

"What are you sensing right now?" Prue asked carefully.

"She's unconscious." Paige said flatly. "Which I guess is good, cause if they wanted to kill her, they probably would have done it already." Her eyes were still boring a hole in the tablecloth.

"What about the spell to call a lost lover?" Piper said suddenly. "Paige could say it, and if it works it'll take her straight to Phoebe."

"No Piper, she'll _astral project_ straight to Phoebe. She'd be totally defenseless, and without powers." Piper frowned at this snag.

"Could that work?" Paige asked suddenly, looking up at them for the first time. "Don't you have to be a witch to say spells and stuff?"

"Normally, yes," Piper agreed. "But you're sort of part-witch now, in the sense that you're sharing powers with Phoebe. I mean, you got a premonition. Have you tried levitating?" Paige screwed up her face in concentration, raised her palms up slightly from her sides, and hovered several feet above the floor.

"That's great!" Prue exclaimed. "So, even though you can't use your whitelighter powers, you're not completely defenseless."

"Great, where's the spell?" Paige asked as she touched back down.

"Whoa, nelly," Piper held up her hand in a move that reminded Paige fiercely of Phoebe. "You can't just go running off half-cocked, we need a plan. Prue was right, you won't be able to defend yourself very well, if at all, in astral form. And our powers aren't very predictable in the underworld, to begin with. We're not sending you down there by yourself. We'll find another way."

"What if there _is_ no other way, Piper?' Paige asked desperately. "What if they start torturing her while we're looking for one?" This hit a nerve with everyone. "Just send me down there," Paige pleaded, "and then you guys can look up some kind of antidote for the binding potion, and come after me." This suggestion was greeted by dead silence.

"Please," Paige begged, looking around at all of them. "I can't…I can't know that there's a way I could get to her, and not take it. And if anything does happen to her," Paige continued with a nervous swallow, "it'll hurt me just as much whether I'm standing here," she gestured around the kitchen, "or right next to her."

"Paige…" Piper reached out and took Paige's hand, squeezing it hard. "I know you're scared…we all are. But believe me when I say we will not let anything happen to Phoebe. And we're certainly not about to lose you, too. Let us at least try to look for another solution, okay? If we can't…then at least we've got a plan B. Deal?"

"Okay," Paige agreed dejectedly.

Miles below, Phoebe slowly opened her eyes to find herself in a dark, moist cavern, draped in blood red silks. Flickering light danced on the walls from the hanging torches that circled the open area, and there was a trickling sound which turned out to be wine spouting from a fountain, carved in the shape of a woman with four arms, who wore a necklace of human heads. Around her waist was a belt of hands, dangling from jutting white wrist bones. Her face was nightmarish, mouth open as if in a scream of fury, and the wine poured out over her tongue. Glancing around at all of this in a daze, only half-awake, Phoebe had no idea where she was at first. All she knew was that she was cold, she was bruised, and she was alone.

"Paige?" She murmured.

"Ohhh, you won't be needing her anymore," a smoky, almost gravelly voice echoed out of the darkness. Phoebe sat up, jaw dropping open, as a figure materialized out of the shadows. This woman was not the four-armed monster that she had expected…if indeed she could be called a woman. She did, after all, have blue skin. But aside from that (any maybe even a little bit because of it), she was quite devastatingly beautiful. She wore a rich, teal colored silk sari accented with gold embroidery, the fabric seeming to literally spill over her body, like a river. It didn't spill over that much of her body, though, and Phoebe's mouth went automatically dry at the sight of all that vibrant blue skin.

"Now, shall you be a good girl if I untie you, pet?" Phoebe hadn't even roused herself enough to realize she was tied up yet. "Or are we in need of convincing?" She smiled in a decidedly sultry way, as if the thought of the _convincing_ gave her great pleasure. Phoebe said nothing. She couldn't even blink. There was something almost paralyzing in the very air of this place…it was like liquid, like she was dissolving. She could feel the dark magic pouring over her, cold, sharp, like jagged shards of ice. It hurt, she didn't like it—and yet—there was something, something that was pulling her in deeper, telling her she liked this pain. She felt her own magic begin to reach out to meet the icy tendrils curling toward her.

"So easily you come to me," The blue skinned goddess laughed mirthlessly. She took an impressive looking silver goblet from a pedestal, and filled it with wine from the statue's mouth. "Perhaps your little girlfriend is not as powerful as I had presumed." Phoebe glanced up at her captor, to the tiny gold bindi bead between her eyes. Her dark, brown, almond-shaped eyes.

"Paige!" Phoebe cried, as if calling her whitelighter girlfriend to appear before her. But nothing happened. The cruel goddess laughed again, more wantonly.

"She will not save you!" For a moment the blue-skinned goddess's eyes flashed with fire—not metaphorical fire, but actual, living flame. "She did not come when you called! I have not masked your essence from her. If she wanted to come to you, she could freely do so!"

"No," Phoebe whimpered, shaking her head violently as fat teardrops began to fall. "You're lying. She wants to come…she wants to be with me. You did something to her."

"Are you sure that's what you're sensing, child?" The demon goddess asked like a cruel governess. Phoebe closed her eyes, blocking out the hellish scene before her, trying to focus on finding Paige. _Baby, where are you?_ She called out in her mind, knowing that words were useless. But then she felt something—something warm and breathing in the pit of her stomach. _Paige_. She tried to focus on it…but when she did, she ran up against a sharp volt of what felt like electric fencing. Phoebe screamed in pain, dark hair falling in her eyes as she writhed.

"You see," the goddess purred, "She does not want you anymore. I, on the other hand, do." She held the wine goblet to Phoebe's lips. Phoebe turned her head to the side, pressing her lips together like a child refusing her medicine. But the heady fumes of the dark, rich liquid were wafting over her like a siren's call…everything began to be hazy and muddled. She couldn't remember where she was; only that Paige had left her here. And the goblet in front of her offered escape from the pain coursing through her. After a moment's hesitation, Phoebe opened her mouth.

In the manor, things were not progressing the way Piper had hoped. The four of them—Piper, Prue, Leo and Paige—had not found any plan A to replace their plan B, and as the hour grew later, all were having trouble keeping their eyes open. Piper glanced at Paige, who was curled up on the couch with a pile of spell books in her lap, eyes out of focus. She nudged Prue, glancing at the couch significantly.

"Paige," she said gently, putting a hand out to shake the dozing girl's shoulder gently. Paige started, eyes opening fully as she looked up at Piper and Prue. "It's getting late…you should stay with us tonight, okay? It's not safe for you back at your dorm."

"Yeah," Prue nodded, "you can stay in Phoebe's room. We'll start again in the morning." They fully expected for Paige to insist that they continue researching, and argue that they couldn't rest while Phoebe was in danger. But Paige just nodded blankly, and rose to cross the attic. She left without a word.

"Do you think she's okay?" Piper asked, knowing it was a stupid question as soon as it was out of her mouth. Prue sighed, and Leo just looked at her.

"I think…" Prue said quietly. "I think that in the morning, we're going to have to let Paige say the lost lovers' spell. It's the only way."

"It's suicide," Piper whispered, a tremor in her voice. "We'll lose them both."

"We have to trust Paige, Piper," Leo said gently. "And Phoebe. We have to trust that they can beat this, together…it is their destiny after all." Piper looked from her husband, to her big sister, and nodded.

"Well, I'm going to bed…after I check on Paige." Piper sighed.

"I'll come with," Prue offered, and left Leo to put away their research books. Together, the two sisters went down to their third sister's room, both wishing she would be there to greet them with her devilish, playful smile. But when they got there, of course, they did not find their sister. Instead, they found their sister's other half, another dark-haired, powerfully magical girl, who at the moment was curled up in a ball on the bed, her sobs muffled by the pillow clutched in her arms. Without a word passing between them, Piper and Prue went over to the bed, and lay down on either side of Paige, holding her and stroking her hair. Paige didn't acknowledge them at first, but after a few moments during which neither of them told her not to cry, or that everything was gonna be all right, she threw herself on Piper's neck, clinging to her for dear life.

"We've got you, Paige," Piper murmured, her eyes filling with tears as she and Prue looked at each other. "You can cry. It's okay." Prue reached out and took Piper's hand over the crying girl's shoulder, squeezing her sister's hand tight. Then she gently began to rub Paige's shaking back, all of them falling into a light doze as the sobs subsided. Soon, the three of them were fast asleep on Phoebe's bed.

Paige was walking down a long corridor draped in blue silk. It was cold. She shivered, wrapping her arms around herself, trying to remember what she had come for.

"Phoebe?" she called out in a small voice, which nonetheless fractured and echoed down the seemingly endless walkway. A thousand Paiges called for a thousand Phoebes as the echo died away. Then a cruel, icy laugh wafted toward her. The very feel of that laugh vibrating through her body made Paige's blood run cold.

"You shouldn't have come, Paige." The cold voice that spoke sent a terror into Paige that ran deeper than any she'd ever known. It wasn't…couldn't be…

"Phoebe? …Baby?" Paige asked hesitantly.

"Idiot child!" Phoebe's eyes blazed with fire as she emerged from out of the shadows. She was dressed in a blood-red sari, hair swept up regally, with a gold bindi bead between her eyes that seemed to wink sinisterly at Paige. "Did you think this would end with kisses and rainbows, Paige?" Phoebe's eyes, normally full of love for her, were boring into Paige like ice, freezing her from the inside out. She raised her hand, and a lotus blossom flowered out of her palm. Phoebe jerked her own hand across her chest, and the blossom was gone—cut away, leaving a bloody slash across Paige's hand.

"I'm not leaving you here, Phoebe," Paige gasped out through the pain.

"You don't have a choice!" Phoebe spat, and before she knew what was happening, Paige felt a wall of dark magic slam into her like a ton of bricks, throwing her backwards through the cavern, tumbling through the icy vacuum of space that separated the underworld from the earth above.

"NO!" Paige awoke screaming. Prue and Piper were awake in an instant, holding Paige tight as she twisted and writhed.

"It's just a nightmare, Paige," Prue said soothingly. "It's okay, you're okay."

"No!" Paige cried again. "It wasn't a nightmare! It's real! I have to go, I have to go to Phoebe!" Piper grabbed Paige's right hand as she tried to jerk free of them, and gasped. Paige's hand was dripping with blood.


	9. Conclusion

**Charmed & Dangerous**: Part 9 (Conclusion)

A Phoebe & Paige story

By JewWitch

Rating: R

Piper was so surprised by the blood dripping onto her from Paige's hand, that she momentarily let go of the writhing girl. Left with only Prue holding her down, Paige wrenched away with a surprising bolt of strength, scrambling from the bed before the sisters could make a grab for her. The moment her feet hit the floor, though, Paige's knees buckled under her. With a groan, Paige collapsed to her hands and knees. Then she retched, and a large volume of slimy black liquid splattered against the floor, smelling strongly of paint thinner. Tendrils of silvery-blue electrical currents danced across the surface.

"Oh my God," Prue murmured, as Piper scrambled to Paige's side, pulling her hair back with one hand and rubbing her back with the other. "Leo!" Prue yelled. A moment later, Leo came running from his and Piper's bedroom.

"What's happening, Paige?" Piper asked urgently. "Did something…is something happening to Phoebe?"

"Dark m-magic," Paige stuttered, shivering madly. Her face and throat had taken on a dark red flush. "Blocking m-my link."

"It must be Maya," Prue said as she helped Piper pull Paige back up to the bed. "She's hurting Phoebe. We have to go down there!"

"N-no," Paige ground out through her chattering teeth. "N-not Maya…Phoebe. She's b-b-blocking me. M-Maya…m-made her evil. That's why…the d-dark m-magic."

"Prue, she's so hot," Piper whispered, her hand resting on Paige's burning forehead.

"It's dark magic poisoning," Leo said grimly. He pulled Paige's cut hand into the light. The blood oozing from her palm was beginning to turn black, too. He shared a pained look with Piper. "If Phoebe was force-fed a dark potion, it would do the same thing to her. But if she took it willingly…it would, um…" Leo looked at the floor, unable to hold Piper's eyes as he said the last part. "Turn her evil."

"Then why is this happening to Paige?" Piper asked desperately.

"Because they're connected…and Paige didn't take the potion willingly. There's dark magic in her now, in the place where Phoebe is, and her body is rejecting it…like a disease."

"So, what do we do? Make an antidote? Something in the book?"

"Piper, we can't help her now," Leo said quietly. "Only Phoebe can. If Phoebe rejects the dark magic, they'll both be freed from it. If not…" He couldn't say the rest: _if not, Paige dies, and Phoebe becomes the next demon we have to kill_.

"B-b-bring me the s-spell," Paige called weakly. Piper was now holding the trembling girl in her arms, as Paige was too weak to sit up on her own.

"Paige, you can't," Piper said firmly. "You can't even stand up! How do you expect to fight a demon?"

"Don't n-need to stand up," Paige insisted, fighting to retain her focus as the room began to swim. "I j-just need to s-say the s-spell…j-just n-need to get to Phoebe." Piper and Prue looked at each other, then at Paige, who was now slick with sweat. They noticed, too, that the veins in her arms and neck were beginning to darken under her skin.

"It'll never work," Piper whispered brokenly.

"It will if you and Prue anchor her," Leo countered firmly. "If you give her enough of your magical energy to sustain her while she's projecting…she can do it. It's the only way, Piper."

"Leo's right. We can do this Piper," Prue swore. "We can do this for Phoebe."

"Go get the book, Prue," Piper said grimly.

Cruel laughter echoed through the Underworld as the blue-skinned goddess reclined in her throne, her new pet witch sitting obediently at her feet.

"You were perfect, my darling, simply perfect," she purred.

"Thank you, my queen," Phoebe said icily, looking up at her unblinkingly.

"Soon your beloved shall come to us…to _you_," Maya amended her statement. "She shall come as long as she thinks she can 'save' you from me…tell me, my exquisite little witch…do you want to be saved?" Phoebe smiled wickedly up at her queen, but did not speak. Maya's cruel laughter pierced the Underworld like ice. "I suppose that question was…rhetorical," she purred. "Soon I shall have you both…and your powers shall become stronger than you ever imagined. Together, you and your dark angel shall bring the world to its knees. And I shall feed once again!"

A bright white light suddenly filled the room. Phoebe jumped to her feet, startled. A figure materialized in front of the fountain, curled in a ball. Dark hair spilled onto the floor.

"Paige?" Phoebe looked uncertainly at her lover, as if unsure who she was. Paige looked up, trembling, at the two imposing figured above her. Slowly, she stood up, legs shaking, and looked down at herself. She was wearing a rich lavender sari, in perfect compliment to Phoebe's, her hair braided elegantly. Then she looked back up at Phoebe.

"That's right, baby," she said tentatively. "I'm here to help you get home."

"I am home," Phoebe said tonelessly. She didn't move as Maya reached out a hand and ran her long, blue fingers through her hair.

"No, Phoebe, home is with your sisters," Paige said firmly. "Piper and Prue…don't you remember them?" Paige was trembling, her eyes wide and desperate, looking as if she wanted to move toward Phoebe, but was afraid of making her bolt like a scared animal. Phoebe, for her part, was staring at Paige as if she barely saw her, a blank look on her face as she mouthed her sisters' names.

"Phoebe does not stay against her will," Maya simpered, her fingers still playing with Phoebe's hair like a doll. "Do you wish to return to your sisters, my pet?"

"I have no sisters," Phoebe finally said, in the same cold, toneless voice.

"What about me, Phoebe?" Paige asked quietly, going unsteadily toward Phoebe on shaking legs. "What about us?" Phoebe continued to look at her blankly. "I know you, Phoebe, I know you can beat this. Fight her dammit!" Paige reached out to take Phoebe's hand, growling in frustration when her fingers passed right through Phoebe's flesh.

"How did you do that?" Phoebe murmured, blinking up at Paige as if she finally saw her standing there.

"I'm not really here," Paige explained softly. "I'm astral projecting…your sisters are anchoring me. I said the spell to call a lost lover. It brought me to you, Phoebe."

"Lost lover?" Phoebe murmured, confusion evident on her face as her jumbled thoughts began to war with her memory.

"That's right," Paige nodded. Even though she knew she couldn't touch Phoebe, she brought her hand up close to her lover's face, trying to imagine her hand, real and solid, against Phoebe's cheek. "I love you, Phoebe, more than anything in this world…and you love me. Don't you remember what you said after the demon attacked?" Paige's eyes were wide with desperation, and seemed to have taken on a glassy sheen.

"_Nothing could ever make me leave you_," Phoebe murmured. Suddenly, her senses were flooded by memory—the two of them, in the shower, clinging to each other desperately as the hot water pounded over them. Those words borne from her own lips, from her own heart. For a moment, she felt it. It was as if there was a magnet inside her stomach, reaching out to one in Paige's. Then Maya's icy laughter filled the chamber, and the fleeting sensations were sliced away, along with the memory.

"Is that the best you have, my dear?" Maya asked Paige tauntingly. "I am quite disappointed in you, pet. But no matter. You may yet live…if that is your desire." She waved her hand, and a silver goblet appeared in Phoebe's hand.

"Huh?" Phoebe looked from Maya, to Paige, confusion evident in her wide brown eyes.

"Drink, Paige, and you may be with your beloved for all eternity." Maya smiled down at the two of them, like some twisted version of a thoughtful grandmother.

"No," Paige said coldly.

"Then you shall die," Maya said simply.

"Die?" Phoebe said suddenly, a pained expression warring with the confusion in her features.

"Yeah, baby," Paige said quietly, continuing to run her fingers as close to Phoebe's face as she could, drawing out the myth of the physical. "You drank a dark magic potion, and it blocked our connection…it's poisoning me. Both of us. It's making you forget who you are." Phoebe looked at the goblet in her hand, and offered it to Paige, an innocent, eager expression on her face.

"No, Pheebs," Paige shook her head sadly. "I can't…I can't become evil to be with you. I…I love you too much to let that happen."

"_Love_ her?" Maya shrieked gleefully, her long blue body spasming with laughter. "If she truly loved you, pet, she would do anything for you. To be with you. Yet she thinks only of herself!"

"No," Paige said harshly, wrenching her eyes away from the penetrating stare of the cruel goddess, to the brown eyes before her, that were, undeniably, still Phoebe's. "I would do anything to save her…even if it means I have to die." Phoebe reached out to Paige, trying to touch her. Her hand passed through Paige's face like air.

"I don't want you to die," Phoebe whispered, her voice strained, as if it took a great effort to speak. She held out the goblet again, beseechingly.

"Phoebe, this isn't you," Paige whispered ferverently. "You're a good witch, Phoebe. A Charmed One. You protect the innocent, and you vanquish sorry-ass demons like this hell-bitch every week. You're a hero, Phoebe…you're my hero." Phoebe was now glancing back and forth between the passionate young woman standing before her, and the imposing goddess leering down at her from above. Her lip began to tremble.

"Come back with me, baby," Paige begged. A blurry numbness began to set into her body, and she shook her head, trying to clear it. "Come home with me, please…remember who you are. Remember who _we_ are."

"Who are we?" Phoebe asked urgently. But Paige couldn't answer, as her body began to blur and fade. She put one hand to her head, collapsing to the floor as her body continued to melt away.

"Paige!" Phoebe cried, reaching out blindly to hold onto any part of Paige she could reach. They stared into each other's eyes, tears spilling down both their cheeks as the energy keeping Paige's image anchored began to bleed away.

"I love you," Paige mouthed. Then she disappeared.

"Paige, don't go!" Phoebe cried, her tears falling freely. "Please!" She looked wildly around the room, her eyes finally settling on the goddess, still enthroned, with a patient expression on her face.

"Make her come back!" Phoebe demanded.

"It is beyond me," Maya shrugged one blue shoulder unconcernedly. "But no matter, my pet…you shall still be my princess." The cruel blue smirk faltered momentarily, quickly covered by a nervous swallow. "All of the Underworld shall bow down to you, and mortals shall fear to speak your name." _Princess_. The title sparked another memory, somewhere murky and hidden, in the back of her mind…Paige's lips against her ear, the bright sun warming her back where's Paige's gentle hand stroked her skin. Paige calling her _princess_. Paige kissing her. Paige's hair grazing against her throat, filling her world with the scent of sweet orange blossoms, and her stomach with pure, liquid joy.

"No," Phoebe growled. Her eyes locked on the demon goddess above her, as the memories welled up inside her, filling her with love. Tendrils of electricity began to dance over her skin as the light magic rose up inside her, fighting the dark invader.

"What?" Maya asked dangerously, straightening herself on her throne.

"I said no," Phoebe repeated calmly. Her skin began to glow as the dark magic was forced from her body.

"You cannot deny me," the goddess of illusion laughed incredulously. "You cannot resist me!"

"I can," Phoebe countered simply, serenely. "I'm a child of light…and I'm going home now."

"No!" Maya screamed, a bright blue energy ball appearing in her hand. She flung it at Phoebe as hard as she could. But instead of incinerating Phoebe where she stood, it bounced back off a brilliant white forcefield surrounding the young witch, to ricochet back at the enthroned demon. Maya gave a blood-curdling scream as she was hit with her own energy ball, disintegrating into a pile of ash on the sleek, velvet pillowed throne.

For a moment, Phoebe stood rooted to the spot, blinking and confused. Then, in a rush, all the dark magic left her body in a cloud of poisonous black smoke. Coughing and sputtering, Phoebe fell to her knees as her connection to Paige came flooding painfully back. Painfully, because Paige was in agony. The dark magic that had invaded them both had left Paige as it left Phoebe, but it had done a great deal of damage. Phoebe screamed in pain, doubling over, as a powerful wave of vertigo lanced through her from her lover. Looking up at the ceiling, Phoebe remembered everything.

"Hold on, baby…I'm coming home," Phoebe said firmly into the empty cavern. Then she orbed out.

Phoebe orbed into her bedroom to find Paige lying unconscious on the bed, drenched in sweat. Piper was beside her, holding a wet washcloth against her forehead. Prue was on her other side, running an ice cube over her lips. Both of them looked utterly exhausted; more than that, they looked drained. They were pale as ghosts. Phoebe opened her mouth, but couldn't speak. Then Prue looked up.

"Phoebe!" she gasped, jumping up from the bed to hug her little sister. Phoebe hugged her back fiercely, falling back onto the bed as Piper hugged her, too.

"Are you-?" Piper asked hesitantly, searching her little sister for signs of injury.

"I'm fine," Phoebe said softly, looking down at her unconscious lover, reaching out and taking her limp hand in both of hers. It was hot to the touch. "Leo!" she yelled. Immediately Leo materialized beside them. "Heal her, quick," Phoebe begged. Leo kneeled down beside Paige, putting his hands out over her overheated body. Light emanated from his hands. For almost a full minute no one spoke, then, with a gasp, Leo removed his hands.

"I can't, Phoebe," he said quietly.

"But we vanquished Maya! You got your whitelighter powers back!" Phoebe cried desperately. Her hand went automatically to Paige's stomach, feeling Paige's pain as if it were her own.

"I know, I did, but…the damage you did…it's too severe." Leo said this part gently, almost apologetically. "Her body has been completely ravaged by dark magic…and it came from you." Tears burned Phoebe's eyes, and she squeezed them shut, holding Paige's hand to her face as she choked back a sob. "There's just no precedent for secondhand dark-magic poisoning like this, but I think…you're the only one who can heal her now," Leo laid a brotherly hand on Phoebe's shaking shoulder.

"But I d-don't know how," Phoebe sobbed.

"Yes you do," Leo assured her, looking at her hand still resting on Paige's stomach. "You just haven't realized it yet." Phoebe continued to sob, leaning over Paige to brush her damp hair back from her burning hot face. Her breathing was shallow and faint.

"Paige, open your eyes," Phoebe begged, cupping her girlfriend's flushed cheek in her hand. "Please, baby, please…don't leave me. I love you so much. Please don't make me live without you." Leaning forward to kiss Paige's forehead, Phoebe's tears dripped onto her lover's hot skin. A dazzling light erupted between the two of them, enveloping them both. Everyone gasped, but Phoebe didn't even look up. She was completely focused on Paige.

"I love you," She whispered again, closing her eyes and leaning her head against Paige's, as the light seemed to seep into them. When Phoebe pulled back, Paige was blinking up at her.

"Close shave," Paige murmured in a hoarse, croaky voice. Phoebe laughed, tears still streaming down her cheeks, and pulled Paige into her arms, kissing her all over her face.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you…" Phoebe murmured over and over, rocking Paige like a baby in her arms.

"Thanks for saving me," Paige whispered huskily, her eyes half-lidded with exhaustion.

"You saved me first," Phoebe smiled through her tears.

"I think it's a safe bet to say you saved each other…and leave it at that," Prue advised, wiping away her own tears of joy and relief.

"I couldn't have done it without your sisters, Phoebe," Paige smiled up adoringly at Prue and Piper, who beamed back at the pair of them. "Thank you both, so much."

"Hey, no one messes with our family," Piper shrugged. "Guess you're stuck with us now, Paige."

"Fine by me," Paige grinned up at Phoebe, who was smoothing back damp locks of hair from her face. "Try not to scare me like that again…OK?"

"Right back at ya, gorgeous."

"Oh, yeah," Paige rolled her eyes, laughing weakly as Phoebe placed the cool cloth back against her forehead. "I'm sure I look pretty sizzlin' right about now…literally."

"You…" Phoebe whispered, kissing her lightly on the lips, "have never…" another kiss. "Been more beautiful." With the last kiss, a garden of white lotus blossoms suddenly burst into bloom all around the room, raining down on all of them. As the silky flower petals touched their skin, each one of them felt as if they'd just awoken from a refreshing sleep, flushed with health and well being.

"Wowie-zowie," Prue commented, flexing her hands and hopping in place. "Thanks for the energy boost, guys." Paige sat up, rubbing her eyes.

"Was that us?"

"You better believe it, mama. We are one magical powerhouse!" Phoebe wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"Hmmm," Paige drawled. There was a familiar, mischievous glint in her eyes. "I guess we better make sure we don't get, um…overloaded with…_energy_."

"Oh, yeah," Phoebe nodded eagerly. "You are so right. We need lots of practice to make sure we're in full control of all these spankin' new powers."

"Spanking sounds good to me," Paige purred. Prue, Piper and Leo all turned bright red.

"Paige!" Phoebe smacked her impish lover playfully on the thigh. "Just for that, you have to catch me first." Giggling, Phoebe orbed out.

"Oh, like you can hide from me!" Paige laughed devilishly, orbing out a second behind her.

"Well, it's good to know that those two are back to normal," Prue commented wryly as Leo and Piper exchanged a glance of their own. "Everybody else feeling…good?"

"Very good," Piper nodded, her eyes locked on Leo's.

"Super." Leo agreed.

"Well, this is just great." Prue threw up her hands. "Phoebe and Paige get all this new power, and everyone gets a magical happy but me." She crossed her arms sulkily, but her pouting got no response.

"Wanna go catch the sunrise on a nice private beach in the Caribbean?" Leo asked Piper adoringly. Piper nodded, a huge, dopey smile on her face. They reached out and took each other's hands. But before they orbed out, Leo looked at Prue, a mysterious smile on his face.

"Don't worry too much, Prue…I guarantee you, your future won't be a lonely one."

"Huh?" Prue looked at him bemusedly. "Leo, what?" But before she could question her whitelighter further, he and her sister had disappeared into a hazy field of brilliant white lights. Prue shook her head bemusedly. _Well_, she thought, _Phoebe was right about one thing…our lives will never be boring_.

Epilogue 

Leo orbed in to his regular meeting spot with the elders, at the top of the Golden Gate Bridge, amid the sounds of poorly muffled giggling. His first instinct was to play along, but he knew that Piper would kill him if he made her be the bad guy again. With a small smirk, he twitched his "disapproving" face into place.

"All right, any Halliwells up here had better come out by the time I count to five…or there will be no dessert for a week! One…" Predictably, two small sets of legs toddled out from behind a large red pole before he'd even reached two. One belonged to a dark-haired girl of about five; the other to his three year-old son, blue eyes blinking up at him in alarm at the suggestion of no dessert.

"Tara, Chris, I'm very disappointed in you," Leo said sternly. "What have we told you about playing orb-and-go-seek up here?"

"Out of bounds," Tara said quietly, hanging her head.

"Shhh, Daddy! We hiding!" Chris exclaimed in a dramatic whisper, clinging to his older cousin earnestly. A moment later, two more small figures orbed in, a blond haired boy slightly older than Tara, and a small, dark-haired toddler dressed in pink Osh-Kosh overalls, her hair falling out of its braids.

"Find you!" The littlest one shrieked, running from her cousin to her sister, gripping her tightly around the waist as she bounced ecstatically up and down. "Lindy find you!" She squealed happily.

"That's right, Melinda. You found us. Good job!" Tara smiled proudly at her little sister.

"Don't count," Chris pouted as his brother took his hand. "Daddy cheated."

"Did not," Wyatt insisted. "We already knew you were up here."

"And what else did you know?" Leo prodded. He was directing his disappointed face mostly at the two oldest children, who, he knew, knew better. And, indeed, Tara and Wyatt exchanged a worried glance before they both looked back at him in trepidation.

"Um, not supposed to play on the bridge," Wyatt said quietly, looking at his shoes.

"We're sorry, Uncle Leo," Tara said earnestly. Her lower lip began to quiver.

"Tara no cry!" Little Melinda exclaimed, reaching up to kiss her big sister before a tear had even fallen. "Tara good girl! No bad. No cry!" Tara giggled, her tears forgotten as she smiled at her adoring little sister.

"That's right, we're good girls. And we're gonna do like Uncle Leo says, right?" The toddler nodded ferverently, her wide-eyed innocence a pure, mirror image of Paige's whenever Phoebe tried to scold her. Then Tara directed her "mama face" at her two cousins, who were indeed regarding her with the same implicit trust they gave to Piper, their bickering of moments ago forgotten.

"Right, Daddy," Wyatt agreed. "No more playing on the bridge."

"All right then," Leo's stern face dissolved in a moment to his usual fatherly grin. "Then you four better orb home before all your Uncle Elders show up…or we're all gonna be in trouble!" Giggling, the four small half-witch, half-angel children orbed out, reappearing a moment later in the sunny kitchen of the manor.

"Oh, and where did you all just orb in from?" Phoebe smiled as the empty kitchen was suddenly filled with hers and her sister's children.

"Mommy!" Melinda squealed, running to her and hugging her mother's knees.

"Hi baby," Phoebe greeted her, picking her up and kissing her. "Would you all like a snack?" An enthusiastic round of "yeahs" met this suggestion. Phoebe looked up at the ceiling. "Paige?" She called out to thin air. A scant moment later, Paige's figure appeared in the kitchen, dressed in her black teacher's robes, amid a pool of white light. A few pearly flower petals fell at her feet, which Tara picked up and rubbed happily against her cheek, before pressing her face against Paige's stomach.

"Hi sweetie," Paige cooed to her oldest daughter, kissing the top of her head. "What's up everybody?" Phoebe leaned forward and kissed Paige hello, while little Melinda reached out and flung her arms around Paige's neck, squealing happily as her parents' love flowed through her.

"Well," Phoebe drawled as Paige pulled back from her, lifting her other child into her arms contentedly. "I thought if you were done at Magic School for the day, we could take the kids for a walk to Double Rainbow."

"Yeah!" Wyatt yelled excitedly.

"Ice cream! Ice cream! Ice cream!" Chris and Melinda both chanted in perfect tandem, like a finely-tuned toddler chorus. Paige looked at Tara, always the last to voice her opinion. Her gentle daughter always preferred for others to have what they wanted, rather than assert her own will, and Paige loved her for that. But she and Phoebe had agreed that it was important to make sure Tara's voice was always heard; that she felt her needs were just as important as her little sister's and her cousins'.

"What do you think, sweet girl?" Paige asked, smiling beautifully at her child. Tara looked pensively between her parents, her little sister, and her cousins, all grinning at her with anticipation written on their faces.

"Will you and Mommy share a cookie monster sundae with me, Mama?" Tara asked eagerly.

"I think that might be arranged," Paige said in a mock-serious voice.

"Yaaay!" All four children hollered, running towards the front door.

"Get your jackets!" Phoebe yelled after them, grinning at Paige. "Why look at that, honey…we're actually alone in a room." Smiling back, Paige moved into her arms, kissing her much more thoroughly than she had moments before, with their children in their arms.

"Mmmm…five whole seconds of witchy lovin'. I'm in heaven." They moved back in for another kiss, when the sound of impatient stamping echoed down the hall, followed by Chris and Melinda's voices calling out impatiently for ice cream. Laughing, Paige leaned in and gave Phoebe one final kiss. "Tonight," She promised, grinning lasciviously at the woman who held her world in her hands.

"Abso-freakin'-lutely," Phoebe agreed. They walked out of the kitchen, fingers entwined, toward their children who stood waiting for them in the brilliant afternoon sun.

**THE END**


	10. Author's Notes

Hi Peeps,

I just wanted to say how great it is to get such good feedback for my Phoebe/Paige series. I hope more people are encouraged to write slash, especially on a site that isn't geared toward it. Cause why not, right? I dislike when we all jump into our little subcategorized boxes so eagerly. That, and…I thought Phoebe and Paige would be great together, and I'm happy to see others agree. I am especially happy that I could break through the tough exterior of a reader who claimed to be dead inside (glad to see it was just a false alarm), and sway another who claims she DIDN'T LIKE PHOEBE up till now…can I just say…dude. What's up with that? Happy to have converted you!

If you liked this story, then please read _Godsmacked_, the sequel that is now in production. Also starring Willow & Tara, plus the Scooby gang!

Peace,

JW


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